


On Marigold Farm

by misho



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Long ass story, Past life, Sweet, Vulgar Language, depressed reader, lol all of their names start with an s, lots of exposition, might bring myself to write sin later?, nobody deserved his lil smile, overcoming depression, shane sam and sebastian, then sam comes along like a lil angel, trying to draw this out as long as i possibly can, whoops sorry, you don't go mining because that's boring, you're torn between three guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2019-01-04 07:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 31,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12164265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misho/pseuds/misho
Summary: You've always disliked the wilderness. Trapped in the hands of technology, you had never been fond of it. But, that all changed when your grandfather died and left behind a legacy in a small valley for you, named Marigold Farm. You were hesitant, but your parents had forced you to take the opportunity, thinking that you could get used to becoming a farmer. But, you were so young, and you wanted to go into computer technology-And now you're on the bus to Stardew Valley. How will things turn out? Will you end up giving up and reverting back to your depressing life or will you be able to find someone on that sweet little farm of yours?





	1. Meet n' Greet

You sighed and sat on your couch, dressed in all black after getting home from a funeral. You popped off the cap of a beer bottle and chugged it, sinking back on your shitty couch as you felt your irritated eyes slowly close after a long day.

You had just got home from your grandpa's funeral. After his sudden death, he left a lot of things behind for his children and his children's children. Beautiful jewelry, antiques, silverware, even money. And what did he leave you behind? That's right, a yellowed little letter. You threw it onto the table angrily and heard the bustling city outside of your broken window. You lived in a cheap apartment, rooming with roaches and struggling to get food. You had just gotten out of high school and you were trying to figure out what you wanted to do with life, and it just bogged your mind down to  even think about anything else.

Although you and your grandpa were close, you didn't feel that much remorse. You figured it was just the stress, the beer, or the growing up part, but you knew that the illegal beer would probably take effect on you later. You sighed and checked your phone with the cracked screen and saw no notifications. After barely graduating from high school, you lost all contact with your successful friends and now you pretty much just had your parents to talk to.

You set down the glass bottle on the coffee table and rested your feet beside it as you picked up the letter and tore it open with your fingers. You pulled out a slip of paper with writing on it and prepared yourself to listen how much of a failed grandchild you were. How much you disappointed your grandpa and how you should have figured out what you wanted to do in life. You began to read the letter aloud.

"My dearest Y/N,  
I've watched you grow throughout the years swamped by misery and illness. I knew I was going to pass soon, but I wasn't so sure when or what I'd give to you as a gift. Then, it hit me.  
I've noticed how you want to get out of this modern world full of people who judge and into a more peaceful life where you don't have to worry much about anything.  
So, I'll be giving you the greatest gift of all, my Marigold Farm. It's in Stardew Valley, which is home to a little place named Pelican Town with a population of 33 people."

You stopped reading and felt anger and resentment build up in your chest. A farm? You worked so hard to become involved with how a computer worked and to see inside the mind of a true genius. You admitted, it was much more difficult than you anticipated, but it was something that you has always been interested in. And your grandpa was handing over a farm to you? It sounded like the worst possible thing and you tossed the letter aside. You had left it sitting on your coffee table for weeks until you found your mother reading it while you were in the bathroom.

"Mom, don't-"

"Why haven't you gone already? You should go!" She said strictly.

"Listen, mom," you said while taking the letter and gripping it tightly. "I don't want to ruin my chance at college and I don't want to go farm, it sounds tedious."

"Your grandfather would be so disappointed! I'm ordering you to honor his wish and at least try it for one full season. It's winter, so when spring starts, you'll move there and you'll see how it is."

You wanted to protest even more, but you shut your mouth tightly and didn't. You hated to argue with your mother, so you hesitantly agreed to what she said and you knew that after a day, you'd want out of that farm. Maybe one of your cousins could take the farm instead? Why, of all people, did your grandpa choose you? The weeks seemed to pass by so slowly, you having to work in a crappy office that smelled like sweat and old people. When spring came by, you packed up the little to no belongings you owned and you carried it all out the door.

"Yes, of course, mom!" You exclaimed, on the phone and rolling your eyes as you lugged two suitcases out of your apartment. She kept nagging at you, which almost made you not want to go, but you slowly made your way to the only bus stop at the edge of town. You had to hang up before you got on the bus as it pulled up and you struggled to walk up the steps and pull money out of your pocket. Change clattered to the floor of the bus and you sighed annoyingly, bending over and picking up back up, shoving it into your jean pocket.

You shuffled across the aisle and sat down in a seat, pushing your suitcases into the little compartment overhead. You slumped down in your chair with a giant sigh of relief and opened a book, reading it while the bus hit bumps in the road. Occasionally, you'd look outside at the weather, and it looked more and more rural as you traveled. You wanted to pull out your laptop, feeling allergic to the nature around you. Eventually, the people on the bus thinned out and they all were gone by the time you had gotten into Stardew Valley. When it was your turn to get off the bus, you hauled your bags out of the compartment and hopped on a cloud of dirt. You were left on a dirt road that had a meadow and rolling hills. One way of the road said 'Pelican Town: 1.5 mi'

You groaned and rolled your suitcases to the forested area, the trees lingering overhead the road and the scent of fresh air washed up on you. Your skin was lighter than usual, (whatever the tone may be,) and you knew you'd get much more tan over this month. As you gradually grew more tired from the exercise of going down a rocky road with two heavy suitcases, you eventually began to smell smoke. You perked up and quickened your pace, starting to see little stones wedged into the earth. You followed them into a small town, looking up in awe. There were many little buildings and the people on the streets paused to look at you.

Now that you think about it, you probably looked awfully weird to everybody. Showing up in a small town with two suitcases and feeling like shit after a long bus ride probably wasn't your best look. You couldn't count how many people were looking at you since you weren't sure, but you did see an older woman standing and tending to her miniature garden and you saw a blonde boy around your age, and then you noticed a round, short woman with brown hair. You cautiously looked around before stepping towards the last woman you saw and quickly walking up to her.

"Uh, hello." you said softly, shifting awkwardly onto another foot. She immediately smiled, but you could tell she very much was curious to know who you were.

"Hi there! What brings a newcomer to little Stardew Valley?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips as she posed very friendly. You felt comfortable around her, so you smiled a little at her open attitude. Although, you sort of wished she wouldn't hold back her questions, since you knew they'd come sooner or later, and you definitely wanted them to come sooner. People started to inch closer to you and the woman and you began to feel anxiety rise up in your chest, but you calmed yourself to reply to her question.

"I'm Y/N, GPA/N 's granddaughter. He had that place named Marigold Farm?"

"Oh, wow! I haven't seen him in so many years! How is he doing?"

"Actually, he passed away just last month. He handed the farm over to me and I've never farmed before or done any manual labor out in the sun, so naturally, I'm very worried." you laughed nervously and the woman made a sad face.

"I'm so sorry for your lost. I'm Marnie, the local rancher. I supply the town with animals, and I love to help out when I'm able to. Just visit me when you want to talk animals or need help starting out your farm." Marnie said joyously, pausing to take a short breath, "I suggest you visit Lewis first. He's the mayor of Pelican Town and I think it's smart to introduce yourself to him first."

You didn't want to carry your bags all the way to this Lewis guy, but Marnie offered to help you find him and she knocked on his door and soon enough, an older man with graying hair wearing a driving cap. He smiled at Marnie and then noticed you, sweaty and probably in excruciating misery. He immediately let you and Marnie in and you explained the situation you were in, showing him the note from your grandpa to confirm it was you.

"If I would've known he had a friend here, I would've invited you, but I opened the letter after the funeral..." you trailed off, sitting on his couch as he gave you a glass of water.

"That's fine! I'm just happy to finally see you again!"

"Again?" You asked, drinking the water in confusion.

"You lived here at first, since your parents were with your grandfather at the time, so you lived here for the first couple of years of your life. Of course, you probably don't remember me or anybody, but you were best friends with Abigail. I have pictures of you two somewhere-"

Nobody had told you this, which infuriated you probably the most. Lewis's voice trailed off and you wanted to whip out your phone and call your mom about how you never knew you lived in Pelican Town for the first few years of your life. Marnie picked up your suitcases and said, "I'll take these to the farm. Here's a map to find your way around, and if you're ever lost, just ask one of the townspeople!" she added, handing you a piece of paper. You looked down at it and nodded, frowning a little to yourself as you studied it.

"Yes, you should go out and meet everybody! We'll have a small little feast today during dinner, so come by the center of town and we'll be ready to eat!" Lewis agreed as Marnie lugged your suitcases out of the door. You folded up the yellowing map and shoved it deep into your pocket as you waved to Lewis and headed out of the door into the blinding sun. You weren't sure where to go, so you saw a shop and walked into it.

"Y/N! So the rumors are true!" a light brown-haired man behind the counter said with joy. "I'm Pierre, Abigail's father. You may not remember me or her, though."

"Lewis told me. Is Abigail in?"

"Sadly, she's not today, but she'll be back for lunch, so you could stop by then. I hope the two of you can be best friends like you did back then!"

"Yeah." you said, dreading meeting so many new people. You repeated Lewis's name over and over in your head and you finally got it under control as you waved goodbye to him. Today would be a long ass day, no doubt. At lunch, you had met Evelyn, George, Alex, Caroline, Clint, Penny, Leah, Emily, Elliott, Harvey, Gus, Haley, and finally Pam. You returned back to Pierre's shop and Abigail was said to be in her room, so he knocked on the door and she opened it to your face. She took a blink and smiled widely.

"Y/N, is that really you? Oh my gosh, that's so cool! We used to be, like, best friends!"

"I'm surprised you even remember that. I have no memory whatsoever."

"My memory's sharp. Have you met everybody?"

"I don't think so, I've only met 13 people." you replied, using your fingers to count.

"Oh, what about Sam or Sebastian?"

"No."

"Then, let's find them!" Abigail said, grabbing your hand and pulling you along. Pierre waved goodbye and you stumbled along behind Abigail as she walked down and towards two houses placed right beside each other. She knocked on the door of a blue house and let go of your hand, an older, pretty woman answering the door with a wide smile.

"Good afternoon, Abigail! I see you brought the newcomer with you."

"Hi Jodi, is Sam home right now? Y/N hasn't met him yet."

"No, he actually has been out all day. I saw him leave this morning and he hasn't even come back for lunch. I hope he's alright, wherever he may be." Jodi said, placing a hand on her cheek. A small ginger-haired boy poked his head out from behind her and Abigail noticed quickly and gave him a friendly smile.

"It's okay, Vincent, this is our friend, Y/N! Have you seen your brother around?"

Vincent shook his head and Jodi laughed, resting a hand on his ruffled hair before Abigail led you away from their house, waving politely to them in a form of goodbye. She took your hand again and you wanted to protest, but you didn't because you realized she was acting like she had never stopped being your best friend. You had met other young girls around your age in the town, so why is Abigail clinging to you most of all? Was it her just being nice, or was she actually trying to become your friend again? It could've also been pity. She walked out of town and you began to panic, not sure where you were going now. Abigail walked through the trees and ended up on a yellow path and then walked up to a giant house overlooking a cliff, where you could see the town and sea below.

Before you could gaze in awe, she tugged you to the door and knocked. A tall man answered and was kind, but his demeanor changed towards you and you felt like you were about to be attacked.

"And who's this?" He asked in a low tone.

"Don't you remember her, Demetrius? She used to live here, remember how Y/N, me, and Maru would all play house together?"

"You mean, that's Y/N? Look at how you've grown!"

Demetrius invited you in and Robin and Maru joined the conversation, sitting in their living room and enjoying time. The same questions were asked to you that came from everybody else, such as: how's your grandpa/parents? what do you do for a living? why did you come to Pelican Town? All questions were getting to be slightly annoying, but you endured them because you knew you didn't want to snap and be on someone's bad side. Then, you remembered. They were scientists, right? That means, they had to have computers, which means they have to have internet. You asked them about it and they said they'd be happy to set up an internet connection at the farm, but they'd probably have to charge you. Thinking back, you didn't come with much money at all.

After enjoying some tea, Sebastian was called up from his room. He was eager to get back to his room, you could tell, so you told the kind family of four that you had to go and meet a couple of other people. Abigail almost gave you an odd look, but you hurried and told the family about the little celebration at dinner and Robin gave you a look of relief that she didn't have to cook for that night. Then, you left, and Abigail and you walked as the sun lowered in the sky.

"Why would a computer tech want to come and farm here? Are you trying to grant your grandpa's wish?" Abigail suddenly asked.

You looked at her in surprise. Had she been the first to catch on to that? You swallowed heavily, afraid of telling her and risking rumors to spread that you really didn't want to be there. You took a deep breath before replying with the truth. "My mom forced me to. I've never done this before, it's so much pressure and everybody expects me to be great like my grandpa, when I know I'll just disappoint the hell out of everybody."

"I'm sure it'll be okay. Don't be worried to ask for help, you know."

"Thank you so much, Abigail. You know, in the past couple of years of my life, I had never had a friend support me as much as you have this day."

"What do you mean?" She asked in astonishment as you explained how you became a loner and didn't have any real friends during and after high school. Abigail gave you a quick hug and she told you to give life in Stardew Valley a chance, so you nodded and decided you'd do it for her and your mother. You knew you'd probably leave and hand the farm over to one of your cousins, so you didn't want to get too close to anybody living in the small little town. Although, you felt like you and Abigail were best friends and it hurt you to imagine leaving someone who dedicated their entire day trying to help you out. Abigail continued to talk and lead you back into the dimly lit town and you listened partially, trying to collect your thoughts.

"Sam is being so incredibly annoying right now- disappearing the entire day. Usually he's on his skateboard or playing video games with Sebastian. He's kind of the leader of our band, too."

"You have a band?" You asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"Wellll, yeah." Abigail laughed, drawing out her words slowly. "We still don't know what type of music to make, though. If you have any suggestions, go ahead and tell Sam." she said as they walked into a oblong place titled 'Saloon.' She pointed to the blonde spiky-haired guy from early this morning and she shouted, "Sam!"

He looked at her and almost fear replaced his smile. He was playing pool with Sebastian, but he dropped his stick and as Abigail approached, he backed away.

"You were gone the whole day! Y/N here wanted to meet everybody, but of course you had to go off on your own!" Abigail yammered, and you felt your cheeks redden in embarrassment. You didn't even care if you met this guy or not, he wouldn't be a big impact on your life or anything. Sam looked guilty and embarrassed too, and you mentally sighed in agony.

"Sorry, I was in the forest. Mom was pretty pissed when I got home and I got grounded." Sam chuckled and Abigail rolled her eyes.

"So, no band practice?"

"No more going out in the forest for an entire day. We can still practice."

"Y/N, are you interested in instruments?" Abigail asked, turning to you. Sebastian looked up and Sam stared at you as they waited for an answer. What would you say? You really weren't the musical kind of person, you had never had a big interest in playing any instruments. You couldn't even use a recorder right. The only thing that you really did enjoy was singing, which was something that you did on the down low. You weren't that confident about your singing skills, so you swallowed heavily.

"No, but I can kind of sing." you said, looking away from the three pairs of eyes.

"You could be our singer! Sam kind of does that, but he sounds like a goose." Abigail laughed heartily and Sam flushed red.

"I-I don't know, I don't think I should get into a whole big band. I have to farm and focus on what my grandpa wanted." you said, catching yourself in a partial lie. You didn't care much about the farm or the band, you just wanted to go back to your apartment and sleep in all day. Then again, you did hate your classes and your apartment and you didn't want to deal with the constant stress of school. Abigail made a face and it really broke your heart, making you feel horrible.  Sam looked at Sebastian and Sebastian didn't look like he even cared. You heard the swarm of laughter drown your ears and you whipped around, looking at the people in the saloon behind you. There was Gus, the bartender, laughing along with Pam, people dancing and messing up, then loud talking at the tables. You started to feel your anxiety rise and your heart rate shot up. You saw someone you hadn't met yet and you felt dizzy as you turned back to the three at the pool table.

"Who's that?" You asked drowsily, discreetly pointing to the man with swept hair, a blue jacket, and a beer held tightly in his hand. Abigail rose her eyebrows at you and then looked at the man.

"That's Shane. You haven't met him yet? He doesn't like newcomers, he's very rude to them. He drinks almost every single day, I don't know why."

You shrugged and walked up to Shane, who looked at you with red cheeks and a heavy scent of alcohol. You almost recoiled, but you wanted to at least show respect. He gave you a disgusted look and glared deeply into your eyes and you swallowed heavily.

"Hi, I'm Y/N. I'm new to town, moved into Marigold Farm-"

"I don't care." he simply said and you were taken aback and you frowned, feeling annoyance bubble up in you.

"Well, ex-cuse me. You don't have to be fucking rude." you spat immediately and heads turned towards the two of you. Shane blinked and then frowned back at you as you made your way back to Abigail. Sam was staring at you with wide eyes and Sebastian even had his eyebrows raised.

"Y-Y/N, that was..."

"Honestly, I couldn't care less. I have a major headache, so I'm going home. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." you said, waving to her and slowly walking off. The chatter in the saloon resumed and Sebastian looked over at Sam, who was slightly red in the cheeks.

"You alright there, Sam?" Sebastian asked softly.

Sam snapped out of it and looked at his friend and nodded curtly, thinking to himself, _damn, that is one woman._


	2. A Day's Work

Nobody told you how bad of shape the farm really was in. The moment you stepped foot on the overgrown and insect-infested place, you felt yourself mentally groan and you unlocked your small little house.

It was simple, really. A single bed, a small kitchen with a bathroom off to the side, some chairs here and there, and a fireplace and old TV. You weren't complaining, but you knew you had to fix the place up if you wanted to live in it for a month.

You played with the idea of living in it for a longer amount of time. But, that thought slips your mind and you just roll your eyes. Who in their right mind would voluntarily stay out here? You crawled into bed, sighing tiredly, and almost immediately fell asleep. You have a big day tomorrow, no slacking off.

In the morning, you found yourself startled awake by your phone blaring an alarm at your face. You sat up and yawned, groaning and looking at the time.

6 AM.

No way. You didn't want to get up, you wanted to sleep in. You heard someone knock at your door and you sighed and stood up, opening the door to come face-to-face with Lewis.

"Good morning, Y/N! I thought you'd need these to start your journey on the farm." he said kindly, handing you different tools that were made out of wood and stone, which would probably break easily. You thanked him and he also handed you cookies from Evelyn, which was a sweet gesture. He told you about the bin outside of your house and how you could put down items there and he'd collect them once every week unless it was spoilable, then you'd have to let him know before going to bed. He left you to your tools and you had so many questions about how to even use them. You had to carry three different tools, your scythe, pickax, and ax. It was a struggle, dropping them all in one place and carrying one of them to do their job, and then going back to get the others.

"Do you need help?" Called a feminine voice. You glanced up and saw Abigail wandering in the tall grass that has overgrown your farm. "Sorry about the intrusion, I used to explore these all the time."

"Oh, no thank you. I think I've got a system." you called back.

"Come on, let me at least cut the grass down."

"Alright." you give in as she picks up your scythe, putting herself to work as she sliced down the grass. You broke rocks and moved them out of the way and had to also chop down smaller trees, unable to make a dent in the larger ones. About halfway through the day, someone stopped by as you and Abigail ate a quick lunch on your porch.

"Sam, what's up?" Abigail says, wolfing down her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sam smiled warmly towards both you and her, but you could tell it was mostly towards Abigail.

"Do you guys need some help? I can't do much, but my mom told me I should check on the new farmer. Seems like you beat me, Abby." he laughed a bit awkwardly and you felt your lips twitch into a small smile. At least the guy was trying, right? You weren't sure if he ate or not, so you offered to make a sandwich for him with the little ingredients you had. "I-I'm fine, but thank you! I'm just here to help you if you guys need it."

"That would be nice. Are you good with an ax?" You asked hopefully and he smiled a little shyly. Admittedly, he wasn't very good with it whatsoever. Each time he hacked at a tree, he got breathless and had to take a minute to get his surroundings back. You saw how red in the face he was getting, so you took a break to walk over to him.

"Dude, you don't have to keep doing this for me if you don't want to."

"I really don't, but it's something to do outside of the house." Sam replied, leaning back up and resting on his ax. "I also didn't feel like watching Vincent today."

"Is he difficult to control?" You asked.

"Not always, but a lot of the time he asks about dad. Things I can't answer."

"I-I'm sorry." You blinked in surprise, wondering if his father was still alive or not. It was sort of a morbid thought and you didn't really feel good thinking about it, but it was sort of inevitable. You were too busy being lost in your thoughts that you accidentally hit your hand with the pickax, causing you to drop it and suck in air between your teeth. Sam and Abigail both looked at you and immediately dropped their tools, rushing to your side.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay, Y/N?" Abigail cried, taking your hand with her pale ones. You jerked it away, but Sam rested his hands on your shoulders and you had to shove him off, digging your nails into your wrist to try and relieve some of the pain. You began to draw blood, but you didn't care.

"That looked like it hurt. Let's take you to Harvey, he'll know what to do." Sam said, but you didn't budge.

You didn't want nor need their help anymore. You were naturally stubborn, so of course you shook your head defiantly, but most of all you didn't want to feel helpless. Abigail began to frown and so did Sam, but Sam stayed silent as Abigail raised her voice at you.

"Come on, we've got to get you to the doctor. I don't want you to make your injury worse."

"No." you hissed, gritting your teeth and biting the inside of your cheek.

Sam rolled his eyes and you were about to go off on him, but he swooped you up in his arms and you couldn't do much except protest audibly. Trying to push him away just made your hand throb even worse, and your good hand was glued to your wrist in fear of creating more pain. Sam carried you off and Abigail blinked, yelling after the two of you that she'd finish the farm work.

Great, you thought, you were stuck with this annoying blond guy for a solid ten minutes. Usually, it took five minutes to get to town, but you weighed down Sam as he tromped through the dirt and grass, the sun's rays cascading down onto the two of you in a kaleidoscope effect. It was quiet and you had stopped struggling a little bit ago.

"Why are you so against getting help?" He suddenly asked, his voice quiet and almost unheard above the gentle breeze.

"I don't need it. I don't even plan on staying here, I'll probably hand it over to one of my cousins after this season ends."

"What?" Sam asked, almost exclaimed. His expression turned from serious to exasperated in only a mere second, which caught you off guard.

"I hate nature. It always works against me somehow, that's why I've always been into technology. I wanted to be a programmer, then Grandpa passed away and left this God forsaken farm in my responsibility."

"Maybe he did that because he knew who you were. I love my fair share of technology and stuff, but it's unhealthy to deny nature." Sam scolded lightly, his eyebrows furrowed in a soft frown that really fit his face. "And what you're saying is that you didn't come here on your own will. You came here because you were forced to. Possibly you'd even feel guilty if you didn't." Sam began to hiss.

"What's wrong with you?" You asked, eyes wide.

"I thought that you were a good person! Someone who really wanted to do this and meet new people. You're not trying to be our friend because you want to, but it's because you have to. And if you don't, you feel guilty not doing that!" Sam snapped. You flinched in your own skin, timidly realizing that what he said was nothing but the truth. You could understand why he was upset, but it was only the second day of knowing him, why was he so sensitive?

"I thought you'd be a friend." Sam whispered, almost as if he had read your mind. "That you, Abigail, Sebastian, and me could all hang out. Truth is, my mom didn't force me to help you as much as I wanted to help you."

You swallowed heavily. Your plans were to leave after spring was finished and hand over the farm to one of your cousins that was fit for the job, but you had no idea how much it would affect the others around you. Of course, over the season, you'd form bonds with some of the townspeople and it would be hard on them for you to just up and leave. Then, there's your mother. Oh, how disappointed she would be if she found out the farming life really wasn't for you. You flashed back to distant memories of you and your grandpa and how much he loved you. You knew that he only wanted the very best for you, and you knew that he was aware of the fact that you were simply and only interested in electronics. So, why? Why did he give you the farm when you had so many cousins that farm life would be good to them? Where they could settle and finally find someone to fall in love with, be able to raise plants and animals in harmony.

Sam approached the town and walked up to the doctor's office, opening the door. He let you stand on your own and Maru blinked up from her computer. She stood up and guided you into an examining room, allowing Harvey to look at your hand. He diagnosed it as a minor fracture that would easily heal in a week if no hard work was done, so he wrapped your hand up in a cast and set you free. You expected to see Sam waiting for you, but you didn't see him at all. You imagine he left you behind and then went to Pierre's shop, purchasing your first spring seeds.

"Is Abigail at the farm?" Pierre asked as you pulled out money for the seeds.

"Yes, and she's doing a wonderful job." You nodded with a warming smile and he smiled in return.

"That's good. She likes spring, so maybe we could put her to work more often."

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask for her help that much! I would feel so guilty." You laughed and he nodded in understanding. You paid and took your seeds on your way back to the farm and got there rather quickly, returning to see Abigail resting on your porch with a glass of water and covered in dirt and blades of small grass. You smiled and sat down beside her, sighing. She handed you the water and you took a sip gratefully.

"So, what happened? You and Sam have an intimate moment?" Abigail teased, puckering her lips and clasping her hands. You rolled your eyes playfully and she giggled. You told her everything that you and Sam exchanged and she was surprised to hear about how mad he got.

"It sounds like he cares about you already."

"Why would he? I've known him for like, I don't know, not even a full day?"

"He's a very sweet and loving person. No matter who you are or what you're like, he cares. Like today, for example, he probably felt responsible in some way for your hand."

"Lame." you replied, feeling your cheeks warm up as you looked away from her and took another sip. It was your fault for not paying attention, so it was stupid of Sam to feel somewhat responsible.

"Are you really gonna leave us?" Abigail asked suddenly and quietly.

You looked at her in surprise and didn't want to say right off the bat that you were. You knew you'd hate it here, but you didn't want to upset her. She has other girls to relate to, but the two of you were best friends as toddlers, so it was sort of a reminiscent and nostalgic thing to her and the rest of the older townspeople.

"I don't know, Abby." you sighed, rubbing your face and then pinching the bridge of your nose. "I truly don't have any interest for farm life."

"Stay at least for a year. A full season won't do you well, and spring is the hardest time to try and grow anything. There's animals that come out and eat your crops, storms that drown your crops, and there's bugs everywhere!"

"A year? That's way too long!"

"You'll be able to really experience farm life throughout every season and you can even participate in our little festivals we host!"

"Festivals?"

"Yeah, we have little events here and there. The most recent one is on the thirteenth, the Egg Hunt. Usually I win, but I'd like to see if you can beat me!" She laughed, pinching your arm softly. "Then there's the Flower Dance and the Luau, Spirit's Eve and the Feast of the Winter Star! It'll be amazing with you here!"

"What about Valentine's Day? Spring break?" You rose an eyebrow at her.

"We abandoned all of the outside holidays to create our own memories with new holidays. It's been that way for hundreds of years." she explained. The two of you talked for most of the day and she returned back home, leaving you on your porch as the sky turned into a painted pink, orange, and gold. You stood up, scratching where a mosquito bit you on your arm, and then slowly walked inside of your house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at Sam being a super sweet heart and taking you to the doctor's! He's a little upset, but he'll get over it.  
> I'm planning something big for the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, so look forward to that!


	3. Bentley

It was sort of one of those difficult nights. You couldn't sleep, especially with a cast on your hand, and you kept tossing and turning. Besides, the thunder rumbling over the mountains was beginning to bother you and you got up, dressing yourself for the weather outside. You decided to go for a walk, pulling on black leggings, rain boots, and a rain jacket before heading outside. You had your phone, so you could use the GPS and most definitely not get lost, shoved in your pocket.

Walking outside, a cool midnight breeze hit your face. You squinted and continued on into the woods, walking up a slow incline that made you wonder if it was even worth it. You suddenly bumped into something and you nearly tumbled back down that incline, but you had to rub your eyes a couple of times to realize it wasn't a tree.

"Sebastian!" You exclaimed, blinking and pulling your hood tighter over your head.

"If it isn't Y/N, the bold farmer. What are you doing out here?" He asked in a tone full of amusement, which drew in curiosity as to what he was so happy about.

"Couldn't sleep, you?"

"I love sneaking out during the rain storms, one of my favorite things to do during the spring."

"You could get killed out here in a storm like this." you begin, raising an eyebrow, but he cut you off quickly.

"Look who's talking, Miss Adventurer."

Your cheeks gently burned with embarrassment and you moved under a tree, shielding yourself partially from the loud, splattering rain. Sebastian joined you, shuffling by your side, probably only sticking around to mess with you even further.

"Sam told me you hurt your hand today." Sebastian said, pulling out a cigarette and immediately lighting it. He exhaled clouds of thick smoke, which almost made you gag, but you just moved a couple inches away where it wouldn't choke you up.

"He did? Did he go over to your house after ditching me at the doctor's?"

"Yeah, and he seemed pretty upset. Did something happen between the two of you?"

"Not really," you sighed before pausing and taking a moment to recap all that had happened earlier that day. "He was just upset after learning I'm probably going to leave after this season is over."

"You are?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow at you as he put out the cigarette, making sure it was already cooled off before sticking the trash in his pocket, probably not wanting to litter. You nodded and explained the situation and everything what Sam said, and before you know it, your emotions were beginning to spill out and everywhere onto Sebastian's shoulders. Words kept coming up like vomit and you felt like you needed to control them, but they wouldn't do anything except for keep coming.

"Sam's just being too sensitive about the whole situation! He's only known me for, what, a day? I get he wants a new friend and all, but he shouldn't be that upset about me leaving."

"It's probably not all he's worried about." Sebastian said. "He has this problem, attachment issues, I think, because of his dad."

"Right, I wanted to ask, is his dad dead?"

"No, at least I don't think so. Kent just went to war a couple of years ago and it's been hard for Jodi and her family. Sam really loves his dad, so when he left for the war he got major issues and depression. Now, he tends to cling onto new people in his life and he can't handle it when they go away."

You fell silent, feeling guilty for ever thinking Sam was just being too dramatic. Not knowing if your dad was dead or alive was probably the worst feeling ever, possibly even worse than knowing he was dead. You decided you'd talk to Sam as soon as you could, but you wanted to get some work done tomorrow that would easily take all day long. Sebastian said he had to leave, so you waved him goodnight and then set back off to your tiny house, locking the door behind yourself, tossing the raincoat and boots on the floor before collapsing on your bed and almost immediately passing out to the pitter-patter of the quietening rainfall.

In the morning, you woke up at exactly 6 AM yet again and you groaned, getting up and adjusting your cast. You let your hand rest and you had to be careful when using it out of the cast, but immediately put it back on when you were rearing to go outside. You took the few seeds you had, a hoe, and your watering can and headed out into the cloudy day.

You began to work at the soil that was recently rained on, digging it up in rows and placing seeds in the holes before covering them. You heard a voice behind you and you sat up quickly, a little startled.

"Hey there, farmer! I have a gift for you."

"Marnie!" You exclaimed gently, smiling at her and placing your tool and seeds down. Marnie was holding something behind her back and she seemed to be struggling with whatever it was, and you grew curious. "What is it?"

"It's a border collie puppy!" She said, pulling out the small dog from behind her back. 

"Oh my God," you gasped, ruffling the puppy's head.  He sure was cute, but you had no clue if you wanted to take care of a dog. It would be extra money for food and you were still playing with the idea of leaving, so a dog would definitely erase that idea from your mind. You took the puppy into your hands and said, "I don't know..."

"He comes from a hard-working mother, don't worry! Just keep him away from your crops for a couple months and he'll get out of his teething phase. I'll get going, I have to feed the animals, hope you have fun! Also, be sure to drop by and tell me his name once you give it to him."

Marnie left in a hurry before you could even say anything in protest, but you looked at the sleepy puppy in your hands and you sighed, sitting on the porch and setting him down beside you. He wagged his tail happily and nuzzled your good hand, gnawing softly on it. You sighed and basked in the slightly warm sun, pondering names for the puppy. You had never really been good at naming things, or more likely, you've never had the chance to. As a kid, living in the city, your family never had time for animals, so it was awkward having one now.

"Bentley." You finalized, looking down at the cute fluffy pup that was trying to catch his own tail. The name was fitting and definitely adorable, you had to give yourself credit. Bentley glanced up at you and wagged his tail as you ruffled the fur on his head and stood back up to finish up planting your seeds.

After you were done for the day, you took a relaxing walk into town and heard a loud commotion. You began to race to the town square, seeing the small group of citizens circled around two people; Alex and Shane.

"The hell did you just say to me?" Alex said, clearly enraged. Shane just rolled his eyes and didn't respond, but the crowd let out a scream when Alex punched him square in the jaw and sent him tumbling backwards. 

Nobody was brave enough to separate the two as they wrestled together, pulling at each other's hair and grunting wildly. You looked around at everybody, trying to see if they'd do anything. Lewis was trying to get to them, but he'd stumble back when they got too close. Marnie was holding onto Jas, who was sobbing, and Jodi was covering Vincent's eyes. Leah had her hand over her mouth and Sam was beside her, his arms crossed.

"What is going on?" You yelled, running up to them and trying to tug them off of each other, but Alex accidentally pushed you to the ground, and you tumbled. They broke apart and people began rushing up to you, trying to help you up.

"Y-Y/N... I didn't mean to-"

"Shut up, Alex." Shane growled, pulling you up to your feet. You looked at him with surprise and he didn't seem to care about your bewildered expression. "You okay, farmer?" Shane asked, his tone rough and his breath scented like alcohol. You nodded curtly and he released your hand, stumbling away. You looked around as the crowd slowly dispersed and you decided to approach Alex.

"I don't blame you for hitting me. I've been hit harder, believe me." You said, trying to lighten the mood, but he still looked down in the dumps with a busted lip. You sighed and continued talking, "What exactly happened between you two?"

"He was wandering around drunk and I confronted him about his problem and he just went off on me, talking about- about my past." Alex said gently, glancing away and trying not to make eye contact with you.

"Wow, what a dick." You mumbled, resting your hand on his shoulder. "Look, I'm not gonna pry. But, some advice from a friend, it's called the past for a reason. I know it might've been difficult, but you got through it and so many people are proud of you for doing so."

Alex finally looked up at you with a small, comforted, happy smile, and you said a few words before you set off in the direction Shane went. Normally, you would've left it alone, but someone could've gotten seriously hurt if you hadn't stopped it. Now, it was time to confront the perpetrator of this entire drama. You managed to catch up to him in the woods, grabbing his shoulder and causing him to turn around quickly.

"What do you want?" Shane groaned at the sight of you.

"What the fuck was that back there?" You said, eyes narrowed. The vulgar language had caught Shane off guard, you could tell, since he blinked a couple of times.

"Alex was telling me what to do-"

"Possibly because he cares about your well-being? Nobody can force you to do shit, but you know what'll happen if this drinking problem of yours gets out of hand."

Shane rolled his eyes, acting as if he had already gone through that thought a million times.

"I'll die?" Shane said amusedly. "I don't give a shit if I die, it'll give the world one less asshole to deal with."

"You think that's all that will happen?" You laughed bitterly. "Consider Jas. If you die, she'll end up just like you. She'll go into a depressive state where she might self-harm, drink, or abuse drugs because her asshole of a uncle isn't treating his life like it's the only one he has."

Shane went quiet and you knew you hit a deep spot. He looked calm, but then big tears began rolling down his cheeks. You had to actually rub your eyes to see if you were dreaming, but he began to sniff and he wiped his face repeatedly. You fumbled with your handkerchief, but you ended up wiping his face for him.

"Alex was only trying to help. Please, accept as much help as you can."

Shane nodded and you awkwardly brought him into a hug. He must've been too drunk to turn on his rude switch, so he hugged you tightly and you wanted out immediately. You weren't a very sympathetic person, so this was almost entirely new to you. After a solid minute of straight hugging, he let you go and you had to take him back to Marnie's farm. Jas was outside, petting a chicken, when she looked up and her face was red from crying so much.

"Jas," Shane croaked, slowly walking up to her. She took a couple steps back and you could tell it broke Shane's heart seeing her frightened of him.

"It's okay, Jas." You said and she blinked at you, then back at Shane. He walked up to her, kneeled down, and brought her into a tight hug. It warmed your heart to see it, a warmth that not even you could shake away.

"I'm sorry for being scary. I promise, it won't happen ever again." Shane said, holding out his pinky. Jas carefully took it and he gave you one last glance before walking inside. Marnie was just coming home, too, and you looked at her and assured her that Shane was okay and everything was calmed down. She thanked you dearly and you smiled, telling her it wasn't a problem.

As Marnie walked into her house, you called out to her. She stopped and turned around, looking at you expectantly.

"I named the dog Bentley." You said with a soothing smile that Shane was looking at through the open doorway, but you were completely unaware.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what'd you think? I'm trying to show a side of Shane that hardly anybody sees.  
> Here we begin, on a big loop of love! Who will confess first? Who will get their first kiss?


	4. The End of Spring

"Egg Festival?" You asked tiredly, looking at Abigail as if she had three heads.

"Yeah, let's go! It'll be so fun trying to collect eggs with you-"

"No offense, but isn't that for kids, like Jas and Vincent?"

"It's for everybody!" Abigail exclaimed, bouncing up and down. You sighed and let her in, getting dressed and then leaving with her. Abigail managed to convince you to wear something nice, so you chose a thin long-sleeved shirt and a skirt, which nobody had ever convinced you to wear.

When the two of you arrived at the town square, there were tables and chattering people. The kids were laughing and running around, and you saw some familiar faces that Abigail approached.

"Sam, Sebastian!"

"Hey!" Sam happily said and Sebastian smiled slightly. Abigail tugged you behind her and then presented you as if you were a radiant goddess, and from the looks of the two boys, you most definitely were.

"If I knew there was going to be a cute girl, I would've worn a different shirt." Sam joked and laughed and Abigail joined in. You rolled your eyes, but you were trying to hide your smile. For awhile, the four of you were eating happily, but Lewis drew the people's attention and said the Egg Hunt was starting in five minutes. Abigail hopped up from her seat and snatched a basket, doing finger exercises. You timidly grabbed a basket, not too sure about this.

Lewis blew the whistle. Your eyes desperately looked around and you saw a blue egg sitting behind a bush. You darted for it, snatching it up and tossing it into your basket. You saw Abigail pass you and you noted three eggs in her basket already. You panicked and began to locate eggs left and right, running and picking up as many as you could without stopping.

You heard people cheering from the square and you looked up desperately into the many eyes of the crowd. Your eyes caught Shane's and he glanced over at a nearby tree. Your eyes followed the tree and- there was a magenta egg sitting behind the roots! You mentally thanked him as you ran towards it, but you saw Abigail running for the same one. Without thinking, you leapt for the egg and braced for impact. People were staring at you in awe. Your heart was racing. Time was slowing down. As if it were a movie, you heard Abigail slowly shout, "Y/N, your skirt!"

Your skirt?

Oh shit. You were leaping at an entire 180 degrees, the inside of your skirt visible to everybody in the crowd. Time sped back up and you tumbled into the grass, You got a faceful of dirt and grass and Abigail landed on your thighs, covering you completely with her torso.

You groaned and looked up, the whistle sounding again and Abigail quickly helping you up. You managed to get grass stains on your knees and skirt and neither of you got the egg, but Abigail was a true MVP when you were in a time of crisis.

At the very end, it turned out that Vincent gave Jas all of his eggs and she had the most, so she won a plush bunny and she played with Vincent the rest of the festival. You weren't quite bitter, but you were surely embarrassed since the whole town either did or didn't see up your skirt. You had to leave early to take care of Bentley, but Sam offered to come along with you so you allowed him.

On the dirt road back, it was quiet and you kept rubbing the hem of your skirt between your fingers nervously. Then, Sam broke the silence.

"It's halfway through Spring. Any harvests yet?"

"I have some parsnips, potatoes, and tulips I'm growing. They're coming along very nicely, so I think I might even be able to harvest tomorrow, but only the parsnips. Potatoes and tulips take a lot longer than I imagined they would." You said casually, growing used to the calm life on the farm.

"Tulips?" Sam asked, looking down at you now. "Could I buy some off of you when they're ready? I love getting flowers."

You blinked. Sam didn't seem like the type of guy to enjoy flowers, his mom seemed more like that kind of person. Of course, you could never judge a book by its cover, but Sam was definitely something.

"You don't have to pay me."

"Really, is it a friend discount?"

You simply laughed. You had to agree, you were becoming friends with almost everybody in town. Somedays, the thought of leaving Pelican Town had just slipped your mind completely. It was getting to the point where you were sort of enjoying life. Here and there, you got texts from your parents who were just checking up on you.

"You could say that." You giggled, almost as if you were still a freshman in high school trying to stupidly attract a senior. Sam's expression went stoic and he looked robotic as he walked with his hands suddenly shoved deep into his pockets.

"Does that mean you'll stay?"

You stopped in your tracks and he halted after noticing you weren't by his side anymore. He looked over his shoulder at you and his expression was enough to tug guilt at your heart. Farming wasn't something you wanted to do for life, and you didn't have any idea on how to tell the people of Pelican Town. Everybody was so sweet and kind, you just pushed the decision back into your mind and tried to ignore the inevitability of it. You cleared your throat that was running dry quickly and licked your lips, ready to break the cold stone truth to him.

"I don't know, Sam. I love Stardew Valley and all, but I don't feel like the farming life is quite... for me. Something is missing, something isn't right. I feel like I need to be back home."

Sam looked down at the ground, swallowing heavily. "Give it at least one more season. Wait until the end of Summer, alright? I know it's difficult to try and get adjusted to the life in the country, but I'm just getting to know you and-"

"Sam, I know you just made a new friend, but I have to ask you to not get attached to me. I'm probably going to leave." You said, suddenly strict and your tone edged in iciness. This caused Sam to frown and look clearly upset.

"One more season." He pleaded. You sighed and gave in, agreeing to stay until the end of Summer. He smiled, relieved, but you felt like you were somehow trapped by the chainless bounds of this endless farming routine. Sam stayed over for awhile and played with Bentley, who was most definitely his best friend, and then left before the sun went down below the tree line.

The next day, you woke up determined to make the most of the day. You walked outside to pure luck. Your parsnips were ready for harvest and there was only one tulip that was fully bloomed and beautifully painted. Since it was Haley's birthday, you decided to give her the tulip just like you gave gifts to everybody else who had a birthday before hers. You sold all the parsnips proudly and went into town, handing Haley the tulip and getting on her good side a little inch more. The rest of the day, you spent buying groceries and lounging at home, waiting for the rest of your tulips and potatoes to finish growing.

It didn't take long for them all to finally finish. By then, you had enough money to keep you going throughout the month and you set some aside for the summer crops. It was definitely getting warmer outside, and you could tell just by waking up in the mornings and feeling how heavy the air was. Summer was just around the corner, but there was still one last thing to do before Spring was truly over with. You woke up early on that morning and headed out, following the directions to a clearing not too far away from your farm.

The scent of food and lighthearted music wafted through the air as you eventually reached the Flower Dance event. It was crowded like the Egg Festival, but there were so many more happy faces. The young adults were dressed in white, and you had to agree to yourself that Haley was absolutely the most gorgeous one. You saw Abigail approach you and you smiled, sticking your hands in your pockets and looking at her pretty white dress that almost melted into her milky skin.

"I assume you're dancing." You said, looking back up at her smiling face.

"Yes, I am, with Sebastian!" She happily cheered and you nodded with a faint laugh. "Aren't you going to ask someone to dance with you? We have an extra dress, you'd have to change quickly."

"Oh, no. I don't think I'll participate this time, and besides, I don't think anybody's available." You shook your head and held up your hands but Abigail rolled her eyes.

To say the least, she made you ask someone. So, out of pure randomness, you asked Shane.

"Dance? Ah, sorry. Emily and I do it every year, so we just assumed we'd do it again this year." Shane declined softly, but it didn't upset you or anything. You nodded in understanding and told Abigail about your unfortunate luck, but she insisted you get a partner and ask anybody just lingering around. You didn't want to, saying it would seem as if you didn't care about who you danced with, so she said to ask only one more person and she'd be happy.

"Hey, Sam?" You quietly approached him. He smiled timidly back at you, wearing a white tux that made him look so princely. If you were wearing a white dress, you'd probably imagine it was like a wedding. The thought of a wedding made your ears heat up and you did your best to cover them.

"Hey, farmer Y/N. You come to watch the dance?" He asked, fixing a button on his sleeve.

"Well, that's sort of what I walked to talk to you about. I was wondering if you'd want to be my dance partner." You pushed out your sentence quickly, almost like word vomit, and watched as his expression froze and he slowly frowned, which made your stomach slowly drop to the grass.

"You ask me to not get attached to you and then go and ask if I want to dance with you." Sam said, his words like venom. You took a step back in surprise, taken aback by the sudden hostility from him. How Sam could go from sweet to a snake had almost actually hurt you. "How about you fuck off? You're sending me mixed signals and I don't play stupid games like that. At least Penny cares enough to show me how she truly feels. Do you?" He pushed past you as Lewis called the dancers to their spots. You watched as he walked away from you, slowly slipping away.

You had to think to yourself; was there even any reason to stay for Summer? Of course, Abigail would want you to stay, but you'd only be miserable by fucking everything over again and again. You watched as petals floated in the air gracefully, dancing around just like everybody else. Abigail and Sebastian, Sam and Penny, Shane and Emily, and the many others. You felt sick, as if something was going terribly wrong. Why were you this way? Why did Sam's words suddenly cut so deep?

Because he was right.

You were acting like a total bitch to him, which he definitely didn't deserve. As the dance came to a bittersweet end, you watched everybody disperse and Abigail approached you, her voice echoing like it was coming from the other end of a long tunnel. You blinked into reality, but everything was somehow slow. You listened to her words, but they never registered in your mind. You felt something buzz in your pocket and you frowned, glancing down and ignoring the desperate girl in front of you. Pulling out your phone, you read a message from your dad.

Come home now, your mom's in the hospital.

You looked up in Abigail's eyes, feeling a pang in your chest. Time had reset to its regular pace and you could almost hear a clock tick slowly in your mind.

"What? What's wrong, Y/N? Please, answer me." She pleaded, people gathering around and trying to ask you the same questions.

"Mom's hurt. I have to leave." Is all you could manage to croak out before running away from the festival, knocking past people and trying to hide the tears that blew behind you as you sprinted as fast as you could to your cabin. You heard calling behind you and you knew that'd be the last you ever saw of them. You gathered your things desperately, leaving behind so much, and taking Bentley with you. You rushed to your truck, that was once your grandpa's, and sped away from Pelican Town. Little did you know, Abigail was trying to chase you down, trying not to lose that little bit of light in her life.

But, your only thought was...

Goodbye, Stardew Valley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry not sorry


	5. Home Sweet Home

It took hours to get home, and you couldn't stop crying almost the entire time. Bentley sat in the passenger seat, staring at you with his head on his paws sadly. You finally got to your home town, parking at the hospital she was at and rolling down the window for Bentley before slamming your door and running into the hospital.

You entered the ER, forcing the nurse to tell you which room your mom was in. The nurse told you with a grim look and you quickly ran in the halls, opening the door as quickly as possibly and exposing your dad, who was sitting beside his wife. He looked up at you, giving you a face.

The face.

You choked on your sobs and ran to her side, crying as loudly as possibly and grasping her cold hand. You knew life wouldn't be the same without her, and memories filled your mind as quickly as you made new ones. You had to be taken out of her room and your dad comforted you the best he could, hugging you closely.

You were told she had died from a car accident with a semi, which broke your heart she didn't go peacefully and instead had fear residing in her heart the split second before she was struck. The funeral was held two days later, which lots of people turned up to. But, you didn't expect Abigail, Lewis, and Sam to show up, which enraged you. You allowed Lewis to go, since he did know your mom, but you pulled Abigail and Sam outside of the church.

"What the fuck are you two doing here?"

"What do you think, Y/N?" Sam said, returning your tone, but Abigail gave him a stern face and made him sort of back down.

"We're just here to see if you're okay. Everything happened so suddenly and-"

"I don't need your sympathy." You growled, taking a step back from them.

Abigail, who was rudely cut off by you, finished her sentence, "we just wanted to make sure you'd come back to Stardew Valley..."

"Is that what this is now?" You said, bewildered and clearly getting angrier by the minute. "You're only concerned if I return to that shitty farm or not? You don't really care that my mother died, you just wanted to tag along with Lewis so you could make me come back and continue being absolutely fucking miserable in Pelican Town." You hissed, growing louder. You were thankful nobody was outside, since you were creating a scene with the other two. "Stay away from me and get the hell out of this funeral, nobody invited you."

With that, you whirled around on your short heels and walked back inside of the church, leaving the two outside in pure astonishment. To your disliking, they still came in and listened to the service and paid their respects. People said their words, and you said yours when the time came. You glanced over at the two brightly color haired people in the audience and had to look away before your anger began to boil again.

Lewis said he'd stay for a couple of days so he could talk a little with your dad, but you pretty much just locked yourself in your room for those days. Eventually, your dad approached you and sat down with you.

"I heard that you don't want to return to Marigold Farm. Why is that, sweetheart?" He asked softly, pulling you into a hug.

"Because I somehow made friends and screwed that all up before the month was over."

"Is that all? You didn't enjoy the farming, the quietness, the peace?"

You fell silent. You truly had fallen in love with those things about the countryside, but the relationships with your friends were broken by you simply because you were too conflicted internally.

"I think you should go back. Give it another shot."

"Lewis asked you this, didn't he?"

"No, he didn't. I'm saying this because you seemed genuinely happy. Happier than you've been in so many years."

You fell silent and just hid your face on his chest, wanting to cry. You were afraid of eternally ruining friendships with people that you were beginning to truly care about. After losing your mom, you were just afraid of getting close to people. You argued with your dad that you didn't want to leave him by himself, that you didn't want him to be all alone. He argued back and said all he wanted was for you to be truly happy in a place where only that emotion existed.

Almost a week of arguing back and forth, you finally agreed to go back.

And so you did.

You took Bentley with you and your things, going back to Stardew Valley and feeling empty the whole car ride. You slowly drove on a dirt road and took a turn to your farm, Bentley poking his nose out the window and wagging his tail excitedly. You could tell he hated the city, so it made you a little happier that at least someone was glad you were back home.

Wait, did you say home? No, that's not what you meant. You shook your head, pulling up to your farm and parking the truck next to your house. You got out and let Bentley out, who ran around your farm, barking at crows. You sighed and lugged everything back in your crummy small house and heard people calling your name.

You walked outside and saw that most of the townspeople were crowding around your house. You felt suffocated, so you took a couple steps back away from them. Abigail was, of course, leading them.

"You're back, Y/N!"

"Yes, but I'm only here to get away from the city." You muttered. Abigail didn't care, since she ran up to you and hugged you. Jas joined, and so did Vincent. You couldn't protest, since you knew you'd upset the kids, so Sam and Sebastian joined in. Shane defiantly sort of joined the group hug. You felt smothered, so you pushed them off of you without any words. "L-Look, guys, I just need to be alone." You said, and they gave you a sad look.

But, you called Bentley in and shut the door behind you, leaving everybody outside.

A little later, after the crowd disappeared, someone knocked at your door. You groaned, walking up to it and opening it. Looking down, you saw Vincent with his hands behind his back.

"Oh, it's you. Come on in, Vincent." You said, opening the door for him. You knew the kids really liked Bentley, so that's probably what he came over for. But as you made your way into the kitchen, he followed.

"Um, Mrs. Y/N? Can I talk to you?" He asked, and you were quite surprised. You nodded and the two of you sat down at a table, Vincent barely enough tall to be able to rest his arms on it. "I know it must be hard to lose a parent, but I'm happy that you're back." He mumbled. You couldn't help but smile softly.

"Why's that?"

"Because, big bro wouldn't stop worrying about you. He was very annoying. And, I like your dog."

You blushed and nodded, trying to look away and make sure he wouldn't notice your red cheeks.

"But you're my friend, too. I was sad when you left." Vincent said and you pat his head.

"Thanks, Vincent. That's very kind of you, you know." You said softly and he nodded. He played with Bentley for awhile and left, but it just made you somehow giddy inside that Sam was worried about you the entire time. Vincent left after awhile and you decided to buy and plant the summertime crops, which took the whole day.

Thunder roared nearby, waking you up late at night. You blinked awake and groaned, sitting up. It was going to rain again, and those midnight thoughts were sinking in. You sighed and sat up, really missing your mom as you picked up your phone, headphones, and raincoat. The best thing to do was just try and walk it off, so you put on your jacket and put in your headphones before walking out the door.

Your boots sloshed in the mud as rain poured from the cloudy sky and you made your way around the dimly lit woods. The scent of rain and pine refreshed your mind, but the sad music was really hurting you. You sighed, coming to a cliff. You glanced down at the bottom and slowly sat down on the edge, your legs swinging off. It wasn't the first time you contemplated suicide, but you had told yourself to stay tall. The wind blew and you felt that you weren't alone. You glanced around nervously, but saw nobody, so you wrapped your arms around yourself in a comforting hug.

The clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, but thunder still rumbled in the distance near the mountains. You looked up and saw it was a new moon, so a galaxy of stars danced above your eyes in such a beautiful and entrancing way. It filled you with hope, a full and comforting feeling. You closed your eyes, feeling a cool wind against your face. You suddenly felt a presence next to you and you almost slipped off the cliff as you whirled around, facing the man standing above you-

Shane. He smelled like alcohol as he sat down beside you with a warm smile. He motioned to one of your headphones and you took it out, offering it to him. He accepted it, plugging it into one of his ears and then glancing back up at the sky with you.

"What're you doing out here?" He slurred.

"Escaping. You?"

"Funny, I'm doing the same." Shane mumbled, looking back down at you. "I'm glad that you're back."

"Really?" You giggled, hearing a tone of flirt in his voice.

"Yeah, really. I missed seeing your... gorgeous face and hearing that oddly cute laugh." He whispered, causing your cheeks to redden even more. He gently placed a hand on your cheek and the two of you looked in each other's eyes.

You weren't sure what truly happened next. It could've been the intense emotions you were experiencing or the heat-of-the-moment type of thing, but Shane kissed you. He actually leaned in and kissed you. First, it was a soft kiss, but you lost yourself so easily to a drunken man's kiss. You weren't sure how you felt about Shane, but you were definite you didn't like him seriously or anything. So, why didn't you stop? Why didn't you pull away from him at all?

He deepened the kiss by tilting his head and running his hand down from your cheek to your side. He pulled away, licking his lips greedily. But you, you just felt dizzy from the overload of emotions. You told him you had to get back and go to sleep and he let you off easy, allowing you to wander back and leave him behind. Truth is, you just wanted out of that situation, because you knew you had made a mistake the moment you let him kiss you like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, basically from here on out, your emotions get all mixed up and you're just a big mess.  
> Warning for the next chapter: There's a suicide warning. Nothing actually happens, but it can upset some people.  
> Remember guys, someone is always there for you and loves you!


	6. Attempted Suicide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING: TELLING FROM THE TITLE, THERE IS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THIS.  
> **  
>  PLEASE, DO NOT READ IF YOU'RE SENSITIVE!  
> On a lighter tone, it gets soooo much cuter and I had a lot of fun writing the second portion of this chapter. Have fun, guys!

It was the day of the Luau. You decided to tag along with Abigail, but depression was sinking in deeply today and those thoughts kept swirling around your mind. Abigail had brought food to put into the pot for you, which you were grateful for, but she was starting to pamper you too much. You managed to scoot away from her eventually, standing near the food tables and you saw Shane casually walk up to you.

Oh.

_Oh, dear._

He was smiling and he slid his hand in his pocket. "Hey, Y/N."

"H-Hey there, Shane."

"Sorry about drunk kissing you last night. Not cool, I know."

"No, it's fine." You replied, trying not to make eye contact.

"You... didn't mind kissing me?" Shane said and you shrugged. Honestly, he wasn't a bad kisser. It was a nice kiss, even if it was a little sloppy and drunk, but you didn't like him as anything more than a friend. Suddenly, you felt his hand on your waist as he pulled you into a kiss. People stopped and stared and your eyes were wide open, so you noticed that particularly a familiar blond was not happy.

You pushed Shane off of you and wiped your mouth and watched him stumble backwards.

"You're taking advantage of my vulnerability." You said, trying to give yourself a reason. Any reason. Shane made an unhappy face.

"So, you don't like me?"

"Not particularly..." You looked away, already being the center of attention again. Your anxiety rose quickly and you just wanted to drown.

"So, you led me on." Shane said in a monotone voice, frowning and walking away quickly. People began to whisper, but you could hear it all. A low hum of the townspeople's voices surrounded you and you felt like you were going to choke. Out of impulse, you ran. You shoved past some people and just ran back to your home. You knew you should've never come back and you felt tears escape your eyes.

Now, you were crying. The waterworks wouldn't stop when you realized how much you hated yourself and your life. You slammed the door behind yourself and stumbled into things, breaking them and then closing yourself in the bathroom.

This would be the end of it all. The hum of people's judgement would no longer reside in your ears. You grabbed a bottle full of pills and pushed down on the lid, swiveling it off and tossing it on the floor. You couldn't stop sobbing hysterically, your entire mind becoming foggy and loopy. You poured out almost the entire bottle's worth of pills into your hand and shakily shoved them all into your mouth. You had trouble swallowing them all, but you knew that lots of them went down. Suddenly, the door slammed open and someone barreled into you, making you spit out the rest.

"Y/N, what the hell are you doing?" Sam scolded, looking at you. He held you close, embracing you and squeezing even tighter. "Did you swallow any?"

You didn't want to answer, but he seemed to already know what to do. He forcefully held you over the toilet and sparked your gag reflex and you shut your eyes quickly, throwing up into the toilet. You saw little pills float in the disgusting liquid and you couldn't stop crying, whining about how you just wanted it to end.

Sam flushed the toilet, helped you up, and gently rested you against the counter. He wiped your mouth for you and he was very timid with his gestures, leaning in close to your face, his eyes full of concentration.

"Why'd you do that?" Sam asked, his hands on yours. "Suicide isn't the way out, Y/N. Come here." He softly murmured, bringing you into a strong hug. You were feeling weak and light-headed, so he gently helped you to bed and you collapsed down. He sat down, sighing and running a hand through his hair.

"I know, life can be some tough shit. Don't let it get the best of you."

You wondered why he was being so kind and sweet towards you. Maybe he knew how you felt, maybe he wanted to show you that everything would be okay. He had saved your life, and you kept crying about just wanting to die. He hushed you by petting your hair, his large hands caressing your face and then running down your neck, back up into your hair. It was hard to stay awake with him doing that, and you heard other voices too.

"Is she okay?"

"She tried to commit suicide." Sam sighed.

"No way! Y/N!" The voice gasped, getting down and looking you in the eyes. It was Abigail, and Sebastian was behind her.

"She'll be okay, but I'm not leaving her alone for the night."

"I can stay over." Abigail offered, but a few words were exchanged after that. You couldn't catch all of them, drifting into a peaceful sleep after such a dreadful scene.

**(At this point, it's best to listen to thunderstorm sounds on YouTube, but if you're afraid, then just ignore that!)**

Thunder.

It was loud, and the second it boomed in the sky, you jumped awake in your bed. It was too dark to see anything, except there was a faint glow... on the floor? You peered over at it and noticed it was a oil lamp, the flame eating away at the rope wick. You almost shrieked at the sudden face that looked up at you, illuminated by the light.

"You must've been startled awake. I'm sorry about that." It was Sam, and he was just sitting there next to the lamp. "The power went out a couple minutes ago, it seems there's going to be a cold front coming in this week."

You silently nodded, and he shivered. That's right, your AC only worked when the electricity was on, and the cabin that was built probably fifty years ago was creaky and old. You had to patch it up in the spring, but you could tell it was still withering away in some spots. It's as if you lived sort of primitively, in a makeshift house with only fire to keep you warm during a windy thunderstorm.

"Here." You offered, taking off your warm blanket and handing it over to him. He gently took it from your hands and thanked you, wrapping it around himself. "Where's Abigail? I thought she said she would stay over."

"She opted out, since she knew she wouldn't be able to stay up. It's a good thing I tend to stay awake most nights." Sam joked, and the trickle of water outside was oddly louder than usual. Louder than it would be at home, safely tucked away in your little apartment.

You nodded. You were getting cold too, thinking that the wind was escaping into the house somehow through the littlest cracks. You sighed and pulled your legs up to your chest, unable to sleep since you slept through almost the entire day. Sam tilted his head at you and stood up, his footsteps echoing on the creaky wooden floors as he sat down beside you.

"Do you have any extra blankets?"

You shook your head. He scooted closer and gave you half of the blanket and you thankfully accepted it. If there wasn't any thunder or rain, it would be painfully silent. You were reminded of your childhood. You didn't grow up too far into the city, instead more in a neighborhood where the houses had their own big back yards. It was quiet and peaceful most of the time, but when the power went out on a summer's night, you'd always stay up and play cards or with legos. You'd always watch the oil lamp's fire flicker to and fro, and although the thunder had intimidated you, it was always much more muffled than it was in your current situation. You were beginning to feel paranoid, like the house would come crashing down. Your mind focused on the drips in the background, probably water getting into the house and dripping into a bucket that Sam placed out.

It sounded like you were really outside. In the shitty little cabin, the walls were so thin that you felt much more scared than you usually would. The rain was so loud, and you could almost pinpoint every droplet that landed on and around your house. You began to shake, startling Sam.

"Y/N? Y/N!" He gently said, taking hold of one of your arms. You blinked back into reality and glanced over at him, your breath uneven. "Are you okay? Why are you... shaking?"

"The thunder is so loud." Is all you said before he brought you into his arms. It was warm and comforting, and a strike of thunder and burst of lightning made you jump, but he just squeezed you to remind you that you were safe with him. It got to the point where you just crawled into his lap and remained curled up there, like a little kitten. Sam pet your hair again, your head against his chest. When he spoke, you could hear the deepness of his voice and it sent vibrations down your spine.

"I'm sorry."

You looked up at him, about to ask him why he was sorry.

"For everything you're going through right now." He finished, as if he heard your thoughts. You didn't reply back, but you just looked back down at the blanket and swallowed. "It must be so difficult for you right now. So fucking difficult. But, that's why you have to keep on going."

"I will." You croaked. Sam looked down at you and your eyes made contact with his. He looked away and from what you could see in his dimly lit-up face, his cheeks were tinted darker.

"I'm glad." He whispered.

"I'm getting a snack." You said. "Want something?"

"I'll come with you."

You got up and he followed you into the kitchen. You opened your fridge, trying to see what was inside, and ended up getting cheese and crackers. He joined you in eating and it was quiet, almost the entire time.

"You don't have to stay here." You sighed, looking at the nearly-empty plate.

"I don't trust what you might do. Also, can't go home during this thunderstorm, might die."

It's not that you wanted to get rid of him, hell, you enjoyed his company a lot more than you would anybody else, but you felt as if you were just being babied. Possibly, Sam doesn't care about you as much as he lets on and possibly, he's just trying to act as a hero for all the townspeople. It almost crushed your heart, hearing yourself say that, but you had to look at it from all directions and perspectives. You nodded and said you needed to use the bathroom. Sam, flushing a pink color again, told you that he wouldn't leave you alone for a second.

You took the oil lamp into the bathroom and left the door ajar for Sam. You had to pee, which was most definitely embarrassing, since he certainly heard all of it. But, he was just trying to listen for pills or anything unusual. You washed your hands with the well water in the sink and opened the door, holding the lamp. Sam led you back into your room and insisted you fall asleep, but you said you couldn't.

You could tell he was getting very tired, and he previously told you that when power was out in the valley, it would stay out until the city workers could come out here and find the problem. So, yes, it would take days. You sighed and laid in bed, watching Sam enviously eyeball you in your warm blanket. You smiled a little, scooting over, and lifting up the blanket.

**CRASH!**

You shrieked and instantly curled up in a ball as thunder roared and lightning flashed in the sky, lighting up the whole room for a split second. Sam was immediately in bed, by your side, and asking you if you were okay. You were shaking horribly at this point, and even crying out of fear. You had no idea how loud it would get, and that was definitely right over your house. Sam pulled you closer in his arms and kept asking how you were doing.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Calm down, Y/N. Shhh, shh." He whispered in your ear and you clutched his shirt, cuddling with him under your blankets.

You couldn't believe it, the two of you were already cuddling. But, it wasn't anything more than platonic, right? You were scared, and he was just trying to help you. He fell silent and his grip on you loosened, and as you looked up, you noticed he got way too relaxed in your own bed and was drifting off to sleep. You decided to let him sleep, since you really couldn't, and you were stable enough to understand that you wouldn't dare go and do anything while he was resting. You placed the oil lamp in a safe place and crawled back into bed with him. As quickly as possible, Sam's big arms wrapped around you and pulled you into a spooning position. You felt your face heat up and you just closed your eyes tightly, willing yourself to sleep before you got any bright ideas.


	7. Rainy Days

You woke up before Sam did, and you saw his peaceful sleeping face really close to yours. You almost jumped, but you just sort of backed away and managed to wriggle out of his grasp. It had stopped raining, at least, but it was still dark and cloudy outside. It was probably a little later than you usually woke up, like 8 AM, and you wanted to check the crops that you planted not too long ago.

You opened the door and walked outside, the dark clouds rumbled and you felt timid trying to avoid any kind of lightning strike. You felt starstruck after seeing your farmland all ruined by the rain and the seeds were dug up from erosion, causing you to feel like you had failed. You should've put a tarp over the seeds, but you had no idea such a big cold front would be coming in.

Meanwhile, Sam woke up without you in bed. He immediately panicked, getting up and calling your name throughout the house. He checked inside the bathroom, kitchen, and even in the closets. He finally ran outside, panting, and saw you.

"Y-Y/N! I fell asleep and I-I got so worried when I woke up..." He said, finally noticing you standing above your failed crops. You sighed and sunk to your knees and Sam watched as you felt like you were going to just cry. Sam walked over and helped you onto your feet, your legs dirty from the mud.

"Come on, let's go back in."

"You should get going, it'll storm again and I don't want you to get stuck at my house."

"I can't just leave you the day after you tried to commit suicide." Sam said firmly, gripping your shoulders. You tried to shove him off, but he turned you to face him yet again. "I am not leaving your side."

"You don't have to be so protective!" You shouted, getting upset. "I'm not going to try anything, I promise. You really helped me yesterday, so just leave me alone!"

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Sam looked down at you, his eyes full of concern. He only wanted the best for you, so why were you acting this way? Could it possibly be that all your hard-working crops were torn up? That you felt somehow trapped still, all alone in Pelican Town. Sam held out his pinky and you glanced down at it for a second, then slowly raised your own pinky and locked it with his.

"Promise me you won't do anything."

"I promise." You sighed, not sure if you would be able to keep that promise. Before it started to sprinkle lightly, Sam headed off back to his house. But you weren't done.

You took the long way around, trying not to be seen by anyone in town. You were headed to the beach, not sure why you were going. You just wanted to see it, the ocean. When you managed to finally get down to the beach, it was raining slightly harder with big large droplets. The massive clouds above the roaring black water began to intimidate you. Thunder crashed and lightning split the sky, striking the water clearly enough for you to see. The waves lapped at the shores, getting you wet knee-down. You took plenty of steps back, but you were both amazed and in fear at the sight before you. The wind escaping over the water's sharp edges caused it to howl lowly, almost like a siren, and it was beginning to overload your senses.

"Y/N!" Someone called behind you. You whirl around and saw Abigail, her purple hair whipping her in the face and her bright yellow raincoat flapping wildly in the wind. She ran up to you and took your arm, clenching it when the thunder boomed across the dark sky.

"Why are you out here? I saw you when I was returning from a walk in the woods." Abigail spoke loudly above the storm.

"I-I just wanted to see..."

"Let's get you somewhere, quick!"

Abigail pulled you away, and you decided to not protest. You knew it was dangerous, but it was both a beautiful and frightful sight. You watched the beach disappear as the two of you made your way into town and Abigail cut across the square, pulling you into the shop. The bell rang quietly and she walked across the store and entering a back room, which turned out to be their house. Pierre was right there and he sighed relief.

"Abigail, you're back. What's Y/N doing here?"

"She was down at the beach."

Caroline gasped from behind and took you gently. "My goodness, you're soaking wet! Let's get you some warm clothes."

You ended up wearing Abigail's clothes, which were odd for you. They were a lot of purples and blues, but you just ended up wearing a lot of overalls at your farm. You were given a towel for your wet hair and Abigail and you hung out in her room. It was quiet and dark, but you were glad it was her and not someone like Shane or Sam. You were getting to be a little too tired of boys right now, regardless of how you thought of them generally.

"You'll be here for a couple hours, I assume. Thunderstorms like this in Stardew Valley end up being a reaallyy long time." Abigail said, exaggerating a couple words in her sentence. You nodded, completely aware of the fact. It went quiet again, but not for long, since you could tell she was bursting with questions.

"So, how was last night? When Sam stayed over?"

"It felt like he was my mom," you joked, "constantly looking after me. But, it was nice of him to do."

"Did anything happen between you two?" Abigail asked, sitting close to you and smiling widely.

"What? No way. But, we ended up sleeping in the same bed because it was cold."

Abigail squealed. "That's so romantic!"

"Romantic? I thought it was sort of annoying." You mumbled and she laughed, hitting your arm lightly.

"No! He's your knight in shining armor. So, you two didn't kiss or anything?"

"Why would we? I don't like him that way, and I don't know how I feel about this whole Shane situation." You replied, explaining that one night where you met Shane and led him on to believe you liked him. You admitted you didn't like anybody romantically in the valley, which made her frown sadly. You weren't sure why, but she was just unhappy with that answer.

"I've heard a lot about you lately. I think Sebastian likes you." Abigail said and you rolled your eyes amusedly.

"Sebastian? I doubt it, we hardly know each other."

Abigail gave you a look, but you didn't see it. You were too busy jumping when the thunder crashed. Abigail urged you to tell her what happened at your house last night, so you hesitantly told her the entire event last night. She seemed so intrigued about what you had to say and she kept squealing quietly in excitement. She kept clapping and at the end of your story, she sighed dreamily. "You should've at least let him stay. You know, he's only worried about you."

"Why would he be?" You mumbled, pulling your legs up to your chest and hugging them.

"We've said it hundreds of times. Because you're our friend. You also have to consider his... issues. How he gets attached to people very quickly and doesn't let them go."

Abigail kept talking on and on, trailing off in your mind. You just couldn't stop thinking; but why me?

Later, you heard frantic knocking at the front door. You perked up, not expecting anybody, and you saw Pierre answer it. He opened the door to a sopping wet Sam, who was panting and clearly had been out in the rain for quite some time. It was storming pretty hard, too, and the sun was slowly going down for the day. You already decided you were going to stay the night, since it was more muffled than it was at your house.

Sam spoke wildly. "I-I went to Y/N's house and s-she wasn't there and..."

"Calm down!" Abigail laughed. "She's inside. Did you run all the way to the farm and back?"

He sighed relief and nodded. He was invited in for a little while before he quickly ran back home. When he left, Abigail looked over at you and said, "You know, his birthday is next week."

"Huh?" You asked in surprise. "Do I have to get him something?"

She laughed. "No, silly! But I know he'd like to spend some time with you at the very least."

You had to think about it for awhile, and when you looked back at Abigail, she was already snoozing away. You sighed, left alone with your thoughts, and fell asleep hours after she did.

In the morning, it had stopped raining. The storm was over for now and it took awhile for the power to flicker back on, but you had made your way to the store and bought some seed packets before returning to your farm. The tilled soil was now a dark brown, squishing beneath your boots and muddying them as you ran to your house. Inside was cold and quiet, but you knew you couldn't just sit around all day. Bentley, who had probably been sleeping all night, wagged his tail at you and barked excitedly. You felt bad for leaving him here, but you knew he could handle himself.

You gently turned the TV on, flicking to a weather channel. Apparently, the big part of the storm should've passed and light rain would occur here and there. The news talked mostly about how the entire valley nearly went out of power and the damage done on some country houses, but you were too spaced out to even realize it. You were beginning to think about Sam's birthday present, unsure what to even get him. Would food be appropriate? No, that seemed like an easy way out. You wanted to be able to show him your appreciation for him putting up with your bullshit, so it had to be a material object. Something he could keep forever. Something he liked.

Well, you had no God damn clue. Time to visit Jodi, you suppose. You had nothing else to do that day. You first fed Bentley and let him outside to wander around for a bit, knowing he'd be alright. Then, you headed out into town again and stopped by Jodi's house. You cautiously knocked on the door, hoping- hoping-

"Hello? Oh, its you!" Jodi answered happily. "You just missed Sam, he left-"

"No, I actually wanted to talk to you." You smiled timidly. She made a surprised face and grinned, allowing you to come inside. You took your boots off at the entrance and looked around, the entire house smelling sweet. A faint scent wafted in the air, and your nose immediately picked it up lovingly. It was a warm and dry scent that showcased different spices with a hint of floral and honey traces. It was comforting and you were almost drawn to it, and you finally realized it was coming from Sam's room.

"Oh, dear, he's going to have the house all perfume-y again!" Jodi giggled, noticing the scent too. "It's his favorite cologne, I'm just glad he isn't a big fan of anything too strong or anything meant for an older man." She joked, causing you to smile. "I've been to Evelyn and George's house and their grandson, Alex, could knock you out with those fumes!"

She went on a tangent about how Sam was smelly until she forced him to start wearing cologne and now he doesn't stop. The two of you began sitting on her couch, sipping lemonade she freshly made with a dash of sugar.

"I'm terribly sorry, Y/N. I tend to ramble a lot. You said you walked to talk to me?"

"Yes, well, Abigail told me that Sam's birthday was coming up in a week."

"That's right! He'll turn 20 next week. He's getting so old, isn't he?" She laughed, almost dreamily. You nodded slowly, unsure how to approach the rest of the conversation without making it sound like you had some sort of schoolgirl crush on Sam.

"I wanted to know what type of present to get him. Since he has been here for me and all and I want to show my appreciation."

Jodi almost glowed with excitement, straightening her back and grinning wildly, tapping her glass with her fingernails. "Well," she began, "He loves vintage stuff, and of course food. His guitar is probably his most prized possession, but I'm not saying you should get him another one. He tends to like jewelry, too, but as long as its sort of masculine."

Jodi paused, thinking. "His favorite gemstone is a tigerseye, you could incorporate that if you were getting jewelry."

"That's a pretty good idea!" You agreed with a smile. "Maybe a tigerseye necklace? I'll see if Clint has anything." You stood up, thanking her for the lemonade and leaving her house, setting on your way to Clint's blacksmith shop. You walk in and a small bell rings, making Clint look up from his magazine. He puts it down and gives you a welcoming smile.

"Hey farmer Y/N. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was wondering if you have any tigerseye on you." You replied, leaning against the counter.

Clint looked sort of glum and shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't have any in stock. Would you like to pre-order some? It might take awhile, though."

"How long?"

"Possibly even a week, with the rain and all."

You sighed. You couldn't risk it, you had to get it very soon. If only you knew that his birthday was coming up, you thought. "Is there any other way I can get some?"

"Traveling to the city and buying it there would be much easier. I'm sorry I can't quite help you out as much as you wanted."

"Oh, no, it's fine!" You laughed it off, waving your hand slowly. "But, there's a city nearby?"

"Zuzu City. It's on the edge of the valley, It's where we get all of our supplies. The post has a hard time getting things between Pelican Town and Zuzu City, so that's why it takes forever."

"Right. I suppose I'll just take a drive there. Thank you for your help, Clint!" You waved, leaving his shop and going back to your house. God, you didn't want to go back to the city. The farm life was just getting so comfortable to you again and you felt ill at the thought of being trapped in a city with pollution and dirty water. You shivered, walking into your cabin and letting in Bentley just before the rain hit. You sighed and slumped in your chair, pulling out your phone and googling directions to Zuzu City.


	8. City Nightmare

After agreeing on an arrangement of Marnie taking care of Bentley for the day, you quickly told Abigail that you'd be going into Zuzu City to get Sam's birthday present. Of course, she didn't seem fully convinced. You could tell she was afraid of something happening, but you reassured her that you'd come back home safely. You said, and you quote, "I wouldn't miss Sam's birthday, and you know that."

It still seemed gloomy outside, the rain trickling from the hazy sad sky. A cool breeze blew throughout the valley and you got in your truck, starting up the engine and heading towards the city. It was quite a bit aways, so you'd probably stay the night there and get there early in the morning. You snacked on a sandwich halfway throughout the day, when the sun was beginning to shine for the first time in a couple days.

You sighed through your nose, sitting in the back of your truck at a lonesome gas station. You were pulled to the side, since there were only four pumps and a small wooden store, but you still felt as if you were in the way when people pulled in to fill up their tanks. You stared at the heavy and dark clouds as they rolled away from you in the atmosphere lazily. It was such a serene moment, you lost yourself in your thoughts.

Why?

Why were you back here, in Stardew Valley? Why did Sam save your life?

You shook your head roughly, trying to rid your mind of these negative thoughts. You hopped back in your truck and continued on your way to Zuzu City and got there around four in the afternoon. After eating a healthy dinner, you went into a jeweler's shop and glanced around at the shimmering gemstones hung on the wall. Some were blinding, but you knew that the ones on the wall weren't nearly as valuable as the ones in the display case under the register. As you approached the counter, a crude-looking woman rapped her fingernails against the glass display.

"What'dya need?" She asked in a rough tone, obviously a smoker.

"Do you have any tigerseye for sale?"

"Aye," she nodded her head and pointed to a section of the shop. "there's raw, tumbled, and rounded gems. Pick out what you need and I'll ring ya' up." She grunted, shifting her stance. You cautiously walked up to the bin and began to select out some of the rounded and polished gems, 65 in total. After getting string, wire, and a pretty sick arrowhead, she weighed them and rang you up, asking what you planned to do with 65 6mm tigerseye beads.

"Making a necklace for a friend's birthday." You explained and she nodded.

"Good luck." She mumbled as you left the shop with your bag. As you hauled it into your car, you sat in the driver's seat and shot Abigail a text about getting the beads. She responded positively with a cute cat emoji and said she missed you, which gave you a smile on your face.

You checked in at a shitty hotel, the rain pitter-pattering down on the pavement yet again. Throwing your belongings into the room, you left again to just get snacks.

Honestly and truly, just snacks.

You walked into the market and picked up a basket, throwing in beef jerky and some flavored chips. Your mouth watered at the thought of eating all of the junk food, but then you realized you didn't have anything to drink with it. You hesitated, unsure. Then, you slowly walked down the cold drinks aisle and picked up a four-pack of beer, placing it in your cart.

You were only 19, so how would you get away with this?

Well, in college, you got hooked up with someone who could create fake ID's. Somehow, nobody's caught your fake ID and you've gotten away with it every time. You placed your items on the check out line and the cashier eyed you up and down, his greedy eyes tracing your hair and then your curves. You nearly slapped him, but he spoke and you blinked out of your somewhat disgusted trance.

"ID?"

"Yes, here you go." You gave him your ID, holding your wallet tightly between your fingers. You had never been nervous before, so why were you at this point in time? You were breaking the law, undoubtedly, but you felt like a teenager who just snuck out of her parent's house for the first time. The cashier nodded slowly and handed it back to you, checking out your few items and placing them in a bag. You shakily slid the ID back into its rightful pocket and grabbed your bag after you paid, quickly walking out of the market.

You put the bag in the passenger seat and slid in the driver's, clutching your chest and feeling your heart race. You drove back to your hotel room and placed the beers in your minifridge, putting your chips and jerky down on a table. You sighed and laid down on your squeaky bed, looking at the ceiling and feeling horrible for the tiny crime you just committed. You carefully pulled out the beads and string you bought, concentrating on the little daylight you had to illuminate your room before you had to turn on a light. Rain began to pour outside yet again and you slipped one bead on the string. Then two, three, four...

Jeez, this'll take awhile.

You sighed and put music on your phone to listen to, the rain almost drowning out the gentle music wafting from your speakers. You kept slipping on the beads, careful to not lose or break any. A couple of times, you got frustrated and dropped them, but you managed to get the arrowhead on in the exact center of the necklace, wrapping it with wire and ensuring it would stay on. You sighed and took a break afterwards, grabbing your drinks at around 10 PM. You got easily drunk, not used to the strong taste of beer sliding down your throat hotly. Getting beads on was a lot more work than it was only twenty minutes ago, when you were sober.

You paused and listened in to the rain, feeling tears form in your eyes. Those dark depressing thoughts submerged from the dark waters of your mind and you couldn't stop them this time. Unable to control your emotions, you began to cry and allow the tears to land on your hands, sliding down onto the glowing tigerseye beads. Your hand took a break and fumbled with your phone, slowly pulling up your contacts. You pressed on Sam's name and heard the phone ring outloud.

"Hey, Y/N..." He answered drowsily after a couple of rings. "You woke me up, is something wrong?"

You sniffled. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, no, no, it's okay!" He quickly said, in a soft and hushed tone. He was probably trying not to wake his mom or brother. "Are you alright?"

"I'm sad." You groaned, watching a bead fall onto the plush carpet. You had to bend over and pick it up, complaining lightly. "I-I can't stop thinking and I'm so drunk my head is spinning."

"Drunk? How did you get that way?" Sam asked, his voice becoming more quiet over the line.

"I bought drinks illegally and- and I drank them and now I can't stop thinking of how I should've died when you saved me. Of how it should've been me who died and not my mom. Why I came back to the farm, knowing my life would only be miserable when I saw how I fucked up people's lives-"

"Y/N." He said, cutting you off. You paused and looked to the phone, your drunken self stilling like a small and innocent child. "Please, don't ever speak like that again. You know you're important and loved. I mean, everybody in Pelican Town cares. Yeah, you have your bad days, but don't we all? Hell, you just lost your mom. Take it easy on yourself."

"But-"

"No buts. You are loved, cared for, and so... so important to everybody. Important to me."

You weren't sure what he meant. His words were garbled up in your mind and you rubbed your head, feeling tears leave your eyes. But, you knew he meant well. You knew he was comforting you. You laughed softly and cried even more. The conversation was awkwardly silent most of the time, but you knew he was lying in his bed, awake and on the phone with you. Probably looking over at his lamp, thinking about you.

Just you.

You managed to pull the rest of the beads on the string and you two talked more casually, discussing the weather, events, and how Zuzu City was. Sam talked about his hopes and dreams of becoming a big artist and going to the city to perform- which you just kept smiling about and nodding your head. Nodding, nodding, and nodding off into a peaceful sleep with his finished necklace in your hand.

"Y/N?" He asked, a little worriedly. Sam glanced at the phone and then heard a gentle mumble from you followed by snoring. He smiled and chuckled to himself, setting his phone down and turning on speaker. He rolled over in his bed and closed his eyes, slipping off to join you in a state of dreams.


	9. Birthday Party

Finally, it was the week of Sam's birthday. You had all the items you needed, and Jodi had told you that she was planning a surprise party with all of his friends. You immediately agreed to going to the party at her house, getting ready for a text from his mom saying the coast was clear.

The plan was to sneak into the house after he left to go out on his walk by the beach. It seemed simple enough, but Jodi's stated before that he's walked in the middle of the setting up of the party with a michevious grin. Clearly, he knows that he has a party every single year, but now the townspeople had a distraction that actually worked; you.

Recently, Abigail's tried to stall him but he never bought it. Jodi, who's fully convinced that you should be the one to do it this year, told you to wear a nice dress and flirt with him. Obviously, he'd know what's up immediately, but her smile said something that it might just work. So, you were at home getting dressed with Bentley. You were running out of things with skirts to wear, since you only had a very limited amount, but you decided on a nice sun dress that was your favorite color. It was simple and showcased your best bodily features, smooth against your figure and very elegantly flirtatious.

You then fixed your hair in a pretty and delicate way, going to town with Bentley on his leash. He kept tugging you and trying to run off, but you held him back from going too far and he nearly knocked your phone out of your hand multiple times. You glanced down at it when you heard a small ding, seeing a message from Jodi that said Sam just left. You hurried and got to town a couple minutes later, taking Bentley to Jodi's house and leaving him behind. You placed you phone in a hidden pocket on your dress and headed to the beach.

You saw Sam walk along the shore, kicking up sand here and there and his hands shoved in his pockets. You carefully approached him, wearing wedges. You were most definitely not used to wearing heels, but you were thankful they were only three inches tall. If you had gotten a thinner heel, you would've sunk into the sand and probably broken your ankles or something. Sam finally noticed you walking up to him and he stopped and stared, his mouth slightly ajar. It felt so warm and amazing to have someone pay this much attention to you.

"Hey, Sam. Abby said you'd be here." You smiled to him and he glanced up at your face, cheeks noticeably red.

"Yeah? You need something?"

"Not necessarily. Would you like to walk with me?"

"Sure." He tried to keep cool, but he was biting his lip and trying his hardest to not look at you again. The two of you walked along the beach, the waves slowly sliding dangerously close up to your feet. It was quiet, except for the waves and the gentle breeze shaking the trees above you.

"It's so sunny and bright today. The sky is completely cloudless." You spoke softly and he nodded. Really? The weather? "Hey, I have an idea!" You quickly said, taking his jacket sleeve. He stopped in his tracks and looked at you as you took off your heels and tossed them in the sand away from the water. You then ran into the water, letting the waves crash against your ankles and you laughed, twirling around to face him. He seemed absolutely star-struck.

"Join me!" You held out your hand, laughing as the cold water tickled your feet.

Sam timidly shook his head. "I-I don't know, I should be getting home-"

"You're gonna leave me alone?" You pouted, trying to flirt but feeling so awkward doing it. "I wanted to hang out with the best guy ever."

Now, this was what made him go crazy. His entire face went red and he slowly took off his jacket and shoes, rolling up his jeans to his knees. He walked in the water towards you, now smiling happily.

"Isn't it refreshing, Sam?"

"Yeah!" He replied, now energized. He suddenly picked you up by the waist and twirled you around. You went into shock for a split second and then loosened up, laughing and pushing him away as he hugged your thighs against his chest. Then, he pulled you over his shoulder and carried you deeper into the water.

"No, no!" You cried while laughing hysterically. "What if you fall? This dress cost me a lot of money!"

"It's just water, Y/N!" He said evilly, obviously trying to torture you. You lightly pounded your fists against his back, your face getting close to the water.

He then swung you around, carrying you bridal style before letting you down in the water. It was getting very close to the hem of your skirt, which was mid-thigh length. You had to pull it up, but he quickly pushed your hands down and you let go.

Oh. He was looking away, covering his mouth and his ears reddening. You noticed that his jeans were getting slightly wet and thought he didn't care about the water, so you leaned down and splashed him. He leapt backwards, covering his face with his arms and saying, "Hey!"

He didn't hesitate to splash you back. He cupped water in his hand and threw it at you and you laughed, screaming and running away from him. He followed in pursuit, his arms stretched out to grab you. He picked you up by the waist again, this time his arms wrapped around it as he lifted you up. The two of you just kept laughing, tears forming in your eyes. You were having such a great time, it seemed like you were so depressed years ago when it was only weeks. Sam's hearty but boyish laugh made your heart flutter and you didn't know what this feeling of warmth was.

No, it wasn't the sun beating down on the two of you dancing around in the water. It wasn't a fever, surely. You just felt so happy, the bottom of your stomach creating butterflies that flew upwards and in your lungs. No matter how hard you laughed, you couldn't make that feeling stop. Being with Sam was one thing, but being smothered by Sam and lifted up, splashed, and having all of his attention on you had made this- this certain feeling... you couldn't explain it. And nobody else would be able to put it into words, either.

"Ahaha, let go of me!"

"Never! Tell me you're sorry for splashing me and I won't dunk you."

"Dunk me?! My phone's in my pocket, don't do it!"

"Fine. I'll spare you for now." He mused, his voice sounding so close to your ear. It sent chills down your spine and you slightly shivered. He noticed this as he was setting you back down on your own two feet, "Are you cold? Maybe we should get back."

Your phone vibrated in your pocket and you glanced down at it, trying to hide your screen from his eye's view. It was Jodi, saying they were ready and in place to surprise him. You nodded to Sam in response and the two of you got out of the water, wiping off the water and placing your heels back on. Sam lent you his jacket, and in truth, you weren't cold at all.

"I'll get some hot tea for you when we get back."

As the two of you walked into town, you saw people out on the street look at you guys. You didn't even seem to notice he was holding onto your hand, but it was sort of a way to just lead you along instead of anything intimate. When he turned that doorknob, he slightly jumped at the people who jumped up and yelled 'SURPRISE!' from behind all the different places. Jodi was smiling so happily, her hands clasped together in triumph.

"You managed to distract him from coming home!"

Sam gave you a look, something doubtful. Like he was unsure if all that just happened was real or not. You suddenly felt bad, but he didn't want to create a scene. So, he shrugged it off and smiled, joining the others in the living room and letting go of your hand. You put his jacket on the coat rack and walked up, sitting down on the couch next to Abigail and Jodi. There was a vanilla cake on the table that Vincent and Jas were eyeballing. Of course, Abigail, Sebastian, and Penny were there too. On another table, there were presents, and yours was the tiniest; a small blue box with a red ribbon.

When Sam blew out the candles and everybody had a nice slice of cake, Sam began opening presents. You were starting to feel bad, since Sebastian got him a cool jacket and Abigail got him a set of graphic novels, which he seemed super antsy to read. Penny and the kids got him a cute basket set with different types of snacks. Even his own mother got him an expensive camera, one that takes pretty good quality photos. He got to yours last and gave it an odd look after seeing it was from you.

"It's not much, compared to everybody else's amazing gifts, but I put a lot of time into it..." You explained yourself before he opened it. He carefully undid the ribbon and opened the box, exposing the pretty necklace. He picked it up and gave you a small polite smile.

"Tigerseye! It's really nice, Y/N. Thanks."

You could tell he was still upset about your fake flirts. But, were they even fake? As everybody talked and he tried on new things and took new pictures, you couldn't help but worry that you messed something up again. As the sun went down below the treeline, Penny took Jas home and Vincent went to bed. Sebastian said he had to get back and, so, he left. Sam said he wanted to take pictures of the sunset on the beach, so he left. You sighed and leaned back in the couch, sort of sinking into it.

"What's the matter?" Abigail asked, cleaning up some of the wrapping paper off the floor.

"Sam's upset at me because he thinks that what I did was just a distraction to keep him from coming here."

"Well, what did you guys do?" She rose an eyebrow. You explained to her what happened this morning and she nodded, sitting down beside you.

"And were you really having fun?"

"Yes, I was!" You exclaimed. "But I-I don't know if the flirting was real or not- and I don't want to just lie to him."

Bentley ran around in circles, chasing his own tail. Jodi was washing dishes in the kitchen, but she slowly emerged and sat down on your other side, listening in to the conversation to add her own input.

"How do you feel when you're with Sam?" Jodi asked sweetly. God, did you really want to tell his mom? But, she was the only mom you've felt really close to since yours passed away. You sighed and told her your complicated feelings and she hummed to herself after you were done speaking. "Sounds to me like you're in love with him."

"Love? No, I think I'd know what that is." You laughed bitterly.

"Then you must like him!" Abigail protested.

"I don't think that's the case." You denied it, but your face was heating up and they were persisting you liked him.

"Go tell him that you weren't lying this morning, it'll clear the air." Abigail said and Jodi nodded in approval. With a lot of encouragement, you headed out the door yet again and went down to the beach. The waves were painted orange like the sky and had pink and red streaks, which made you gasp in awe. There, you saw Sam standing and taking multiple pictures of different things. You slowly walked up behind him and made sure you were loud enough where he knew you were there.

"Hey." You softly said.

"Hey," he said back, in concentration on the water. He tried his hardest to not look back at you.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Sort of." Sam sighed. "You weren't really having fun this morning, were you?"

"I was!" You said, stepping towards him and raising your tone. This surprised him and he looked over at you. "Today has been the best day since- since... my mom died. It's been so hard for me to laugh like I did this morning, and honestly, I haven't laughed like that in real years. I wanted to tell you it was real for me. And, you might not quite be the greatest guy out there, but you're definitely up there." You added with flushed cheeks. He blinked at you and it was awkward, the tension lingering in the air and the silence just looming over the two of you.

You had to do something. You wanted to do something crazy and unforgettable. You wanted to make sure he knew you were telling the absolute truth. So, you crossed your arms and grabbed the hem of your dress and pulled it up off your body. He tensed up and covered his face, stammering wildly. "W-What are you doing?!"

"Swimming!" You said quickly and with a defiant tone, rushing into the cold water, watching it change colors along with the sky as the sun was halfway below the sea line. Sam uncovered his eyes and stared long and hard at you.

"Join me or something." You looked away from him and he continued to stand there. He lifted up his camera to his eye and snapped a picture of you. Hearing the snap, you whirled around in embarrassment. "Are you taking pictures?!"

"Don't take it the wrong way!" He defended himself. "I'm just... you're really pretty. Like a model."

This made your heart skip two beats and you clutched your chest, frowning. Why was your chest hurting so much, if you felt so happy in the head? You were overjoyed, actually. There wasn't quite a word to describe the emotion you felt. You lowered your arms by your side and looked into the camera as he took another picture. This time, he told you to smile, so you did and you held up a peace sign. He snapped it and looked down at his pictures, his own heart racing.

"You can join me if you want. If you don't, then that's fine! I want you to be comfort-"

Sam was already taking off his new jacket and discarding it to the sand. Next, was his shirt. By this point in time, you couldn't stop staring at his well-shaped body. Of course, he didn't have any super defined muscles, but his abdomen was so clearly outlined in this lighting, your heart kept racing and you had no idea if it could go any faster. Finally, his shoes and jeans. He was just in his boxers as he slowly set his camera down on his clothes, entering the water and walking up to you.

Thing were getting too overwhelming so you splashed him and swam away quickly. The two of you played in the water for a bit and you guys resumed your laughter. Around his neck was your necklace, and he grabbed it gently with one hand, tall enough to stand up in the water where he was. You watched him as he smiled, looking down at it.

"Thank you for the gift. I love it better than the others."

"What? You don't have to say that! That camera's hella nice!"

He laughed again. "No, yours had so much thought and love put into it."

You had to admit, it also had your tears in it. You accidentally cried all over it that one night. He flicked your nose and you jumped backwards and he grinned, swimming away from you. You chased after him, giggling like crazy.

After it was dark, you two got out of the water and dried off before putting your clothes back on. You walked him back home, holding hands yet again. You picked up Bentley and wished Jodi and Sam a good night before heading back to your own house. On your way there, you couldn't stop thinking of the great day you had.

Love, huh?

Maybe. You didn't know. You played with the idea, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up!!!


	10. Dance of the Moonlight Jellies

The rest of the month was sort of lazy. You began to focus more on your relationships, since your crops were ruined and you had no motivation to re-plant them. On the very last day that marked summer, you were invited to go see the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies. It was something that the entire town was raving about. Of course, you had never seen jellyfish up close before, but you were definitely excited and a little intimidated.

You decided to dress a little nicer, wearing a blouse with shorts. For most of the day, you went into town with Bentley and helped Penny with the kids. You were starting to really warm up to children, especially Vincent. Used to, you disliked kids because they whined and cried and it just wasn't the lifestyle for you. But, you and Vincent were slowly bonding and you felt like he was your own little brother.

That still didn't leave Sam out of the picture very much. The two of you spent a lot of time together between his birthday and the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies, mostly just talking like regular friends. Abigail seemed to keep egging you on about some sort of relationship, but your heart felt conflicted.

You declared to yourself that you did indeed like Sam, but you were afraid. Your last relationship didn't end too well and you entered a depressed state where you would hardly eat or drink. To say the least, you weren't a fan of dating and you didn't do it often. Abigail kept persisting, though, saying things like, "Sam would never hurt you!" and "Sam's a real good guy, just give him a chance."

As much as you liked him, you didn't feel like it was the right time. After the incident with Shane, you were much timid when flirting with guys or allowing your feelings to escape. Most of the time, you'd get bashful, sharp, and sarcastic with Sam. You were trying your hardest to not lead him on, and when he entered a conversation about a relationship, you immediately changed the topic. You noticed how his face fell and he awkwardly glanced away from you, but you could never quite put two and two together.

Anyway, you were taking Bentley to the beach after darkness fell upon the valley. You were sad to see summer gone by so fast, but you were excited about wearing sweaters and farming yet again. The event was about to begin, little candles nestled on nicely-built boats that glowed as bright and daunting as the moon. You allowed Bentley to run around and meet everybody, giving a precious surprise to the older people who ruffled his fur.

You stood on the dock, looking out at the dark water. It was much calmer than you had saw it that one day during the storm, and it was rather soothing than scary this time. You looked around at all of the people standing around, either on the beach or the docks, and you decided to talk to some of your friends.

So, you walked up to Abigail, Sam, and Sebastian. They smiled when you approached, especially Sam.

"Wow, you look so pretty, Y/N!" Abigail said, grabbing your hands. You laughed softly and she twirled you around, eyeing you up and down. She motioned to Sam. "Doesn't she?"

Sam, caught in an awkward moment, just sort of froze. Sebastian spoke up.

"Yeah, you look nice." He added, glancing at Sam, who swallowed heavily.

"Do you know when this'll start?"

"When the sun goes completely down." Abigail replied to your question, so there was only a couple of minutes left. Abigail was asked a question by Penny and Sebastian listened in to them, leaving only you and Sam standing there. You looked out to the sea, watching the sun slowly sink beneath the waters as a clock ticked in the back of your mind.

"I wish dad was here to see this." Sam sighed. You glanced up at him, surprised he brought up his dad again.

"I'm sure he's thinking about you."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up. He could be..."

"Sam." You said suddenly and harshly. "Don't think about that until it's proven. Look," you took his hand, firmly grasping it. He glanced down at you, his eyes a little wider than usual. "you're strong, and you managed to help me when I needed it most. I'll do the same exact thing for you. So, don't give up."

"We're releasing the boats!" Called Lewis and some other people. You blinked back into reality and looked over at the tiny boats in the water.

"I should get back to my spot. See you later, Sam!" You called, waving and going back to your spot on the dock. As the boats floated in the still water, you began to see light right below the surface. Little specks of blue and green light grew in size and floated closer to the docks. Then, you began to see small baby jellyfish. You grinned and got closer, your face illuminated by the faint glow from the beautiful jellies. A fancy-looking green one twirled by in the midst of blue ones. Jas cheered and pointed to it and all around the beach you heard ooh's and aah's.

You weren't aware of this, but Sam was staring at your smiling face from across the dock. You were so pretty, your hair gently brushed against your face and your lips stretched into a wide grin. You looked so happy and peaceful, even after all that's happened. He couldn't help control his racing heart and butterfly-filled stomach.

It was already feeling a little colder and the wind was beginning to pick up. After half an hour of just watching the jellyfish, Abigail ran up to you.

"Want to have a sleepover?"

"That was sort of random, but sure!" You agreed.

"Awesome! I'm going to invite all the girls over, it's gonna be a huge end-of-summer party!"

You smiled and nodded, following her and holding onto your arms for warmth. It was only Emily, Haley, and Penny who agreed they'd be able to come. Leah declined and Maru said she had to work on something at home. So, the group of girls was led by Abigail back into town. Sam ran up with Sebastian following behind in a few steps.

"Hey, where are you guys going?"

"I told you Sam, a sleepover!" Abigail replied, rolling her eyes. "No boys allowed, though. If you want to spend time with Y/N, you can do it later!"

Sam blushed and the girls giggled inside the group. You rubbed your arm, looking away in embarrassment.

"That's not what I meant. I-I don't even like her." Sam said.

It went silent. Abigail rose her eyebrows and you felt your composure get crushed a little. Wait, not a little, a lot. Why did those words hurt so much? You bet if Sebastian said the same thing, you wouldn't care a bit.  
Abigail grabbed his arm roughly and he protested before she pulled him to the side, away from the group. They talked lowly, the group unable to hear them. Emily started to whisper to her sister what they could be talking about and Haley shrugged.

"What the hell do you mean?" Abigail said, talking low enough so the girls wouldn't hear her.

"I-I don't think she likes me-"

"Oh my Goddd," Abigail groaned, stomping her foot. "are you blind? She clearly gets flustered around you, and did you see how she reacted to what you said? It's like she deflated, and her shoulders drooped. Sam, don't be an idiot."

"I told you my secret so you could help me out with it!" Sam frowned.

"And I'm telling you that you shouldn't have said that. Y/N likes you- hell, she might even love you. You just need to find a time to tell her that!"

Sam shook his head and Abigail sighed, holding her temples before whirling around and muttering that he was hopeless. She returned to her group and said something, leading them all inside of the shop.

"Sorry about that," Abigail sighed, "Sam's just being stupid."

You nodded understandingly and all of you got dressed in your pajamas, and you soon forgot what Sam said entirely. There was music, snacks, and Bentley was running around happily, wagging his tail. Abigail handed you a box of Pocky, which you greatly accepted and munched down on when you were hungry. The girls were laughing and talking, each wearing their own type of pajamas that described them. You were wearing a night gown that a doll would wear; something with frills and buttons all on it. It was short and was a little above mid-thigh and had spaghetti straps that constantly slipped off your shoulder if you weren't careful.

The girls began to throw pillows and laugh. Abigail began to start to lip sync and dance and she pulled up Haley with her, who really showed a side of herself that people rarely saw.

You laughed and clapped and held a pillow close, but Bentley began to whine at the door. You looked at him and then at the girls.

"Hold on, I'm going to take Bentley outside for a bit."

You stood up and put on a wool jacket over your nightgown and put on slippers, taking your Pocky box with you and grabbing Bentley's leash, hooking him up before going outside of the store. You walked around on the grass, holding a pocky between your lips.

"Y/N?" Someone called. You looked up immediately and nearly jumped from the voice, but it was just Sam on a walk.

"Jesus, give me a fucking heart attack." You breathed, and Bentley wagged his tail as he walked up to Sam and nuzzling him. Sam stuck his hands further down in his pockets, feeling horrible again for what he said earlier.

"Uhm... hey, about what I said-"

"It doesn't bother me." You quickly lied.

"What?" Sam said, eyes wide.

"I don't care if you don't like me."

Sam frowned, almost in anger, but then in confusion. He knew Abigail wouldn't lie to him, so it had to be you who was lying. He grabbed your wrists, pushing you against the outside wall of the shop. You panic, tensing up, and dropping the pocky from your mouth.

"L-Let go of me!" You cried, turning your head and trying to knee him off of you, but he dodged your moves and he tried to hush you.

"Listen to me, Y/N. I'm not going to hurt you- just listen."

"No, no!" You began to cry louder, having flash backs to your last relationship. You writhed under him, beginning to allow your tears to fall helplessly. His grip loosened on you and you thought you had a chance to move-

He pressed his lips against yours, but it was delicate and sweet.

You were confused, and you stopped moving. If he didn't like you, why would he...? You pushed him off, your jacket falling off of your shoulders. Bentley just stood there, his leash in nobody's hands.

"I can't... I can't do it." You shuddered and Sam stared down at you, his eyebrows furrowed in utmost worry.

"Why? Did I hurt you-"

"No, but my ex did. I just can't do this right now, Sam."

Sam stood there, just watching as you picked up your box and the leash, pulling up the jacket over your shoulders. You turned so your side would be facing him, your heart racing and aching at the same time. Sam quietly turned and walked away and you finally allowed all your emotions to spill out, crying softly. You never talked about it much, but in late high school years, you were used. Cheated on and hurt, thrown away like garbage. You doubted Sam would ever dare to do that, but it was instinct to not let anything happen.

You tried to clean yourself before you went back in, but Abigail came walking out in her shorts and tank top, worried about you. When she saw the state you were in, she quickly ran up to you and grabbed you, holding onto you and making sure that you had someone to talk to. You told her what just happened and what happened in high school, and she just kept listening. She was there for you. And you were thankful for that.

"He just means well." Abigail said. "But I know how the two of you feel about each other- and it's so frustrating when you guys won't realize it. Sam really likes you, and I sure as hell know you like him. But, it's just a matter of time and situation."

You shook your head. "What if he uses me or..." You got cut off by your own sobs. She grabbed your shoulders and forced you to look in her dark eyes.

"He would never. He genuinely cares about you, Y/N. He hasn't felt this way once in his lifetime and his first time is treating him so badly. Give him a chance, and if something happens, then you can bet he'll be out of our lives for good."

"Our?" You asked, wiping tears with your sleeve.

"I'm gonna stick by your side as long as you need me to." She whispered, hugging you close again.

After she helped you calm down and clean yourself up, you returned back to the sleepover. You wanted to scream it to the world, scream it to the town. You wanted to let everybody know that you finally had a friend. You realized that you had a true friend, who wanted you to be the happiest person ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say I was going to make it all cute plot on the dance of the moonlight jellies? Whoops. I just love plot devices.


	11. Turn Back

It's been a couple of days since you and Sam kissed, and you couldn't get him out of your mind. Abigail did tell you to give him a chance, but you were afraid. As you finished planting your new fall crops, you sat up and wiped your brow from the sweat droplets. It was still warm during the days, so with all of this work, you were definitely getting your exercise. You stood up and dusted the dirt off of yourself, going inside and changing.

Yesterday, you saw Jas and Vincent playing around in town without Penny. After asking where she was, the kids pointed out that she was on a picnic. You were curious, so you went to see it for yourself and saw Sam and her sitting on a blanket next to a pond. You were obviously burning with jealousy, so you stormed off.

Today was the day you had a plan. You went to Sebastian's house, and just lucky enough, Abigail was there. They were both in Sebastian's room, and when you knocked on the door, you heard rustling before Abigail opened the door.

"Oh, it's you, Y/N." Abigail laughed a little, opening the door wider for you to come in. You walked in, hands on your hips.

"I have the perfect idea, but I need both of your opinions."

"Yeah?" Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, so you know how Sam kissed me and I sort of declined him? Well, he's hanging out with Penny. Like, going on dates with her and stuff. It just makes me upset that he moved on so quickly- it makes me think that he never cared about me at all!"

Abigail exchanged a look with Sebastian, almost worriedly. "H-He told me that he wants to move on. So, he's forcing himself to." Sebastian piped up, but you held up your finger for him to hush.

"Or what he could be doing is trying to make me jealous so I'd regret ever declining him! I hate when people try to guilt trip me." You added, pacing back and forth now, your head resting on your fist. "But, what I thought of earlier just might work!"

"Oh dear," Abigail said before you spilled it.

"I want to pretend to date Sebastian!"

Both of them made a clearly uncomfortable face. You began to regret ever saying it, but words were spewing out of your mouth before you could comprehend them.

"We're totally platonic, of course, but if Sam's trying to be a total dick, then I'll play his game too."

"But Sam will see you're with another guy after just declining him because of your ex!" Abigail said, frowning and protesting against the idea.

Yeah, you hadn't thought of that.

"Yeah but-" You got cut off again.

"I just think you guys need to talk it out! You both clearly like each other!"

"No!" You shouted to Abigail, almost defiantly like a child. "I want him to see that I don't want another relationship. Not with him. I'm scared."

"This won't end well." Sebastian said, but you crossed your arms.

You managed to get Sebastian to agree. You wanted to shove Sam's spiteful actions back down his throat and you wanted him to see that you could do perfectly fine without him. You couldn't see it, but you were growing irrational because of your selfishness and your jealousy. Abigail wasn't happy about the whole situation, either, considering her and Sebastian had a secret thing going on.

But you didn't know.

You didn't know what massive storm you were creating.

The next day, you had devised a plan with Sebastian. It was going to be perfect, and you even had to memorize Sam's schedule for this one. You knew when he'd be in the town square, so you and Sebastian met up outside of the town to get your bearings.

But, you and Sebastian ended up sitting on that bench for hours. It appeared Sam wasn't coming, so Sebastian left you behind. It was getting dark, and you gripped your dimly lit phone in the darkness and felt like you were going to cry.

You were slowly going blind to all of the things around you, that you didn't even notice that it was getting late. 10 PM. You felt tears escape your eyes and you saw something in the corner of your eye. You looked up at Sebastian, holding a cold drink out to you. When he noticed you were crying, he blinked a couple of times and sat down beside you.

"Y/N, why are you crying?" He asked softly, setting his drink down and immediately pulling you into a hug. His hug felt unfamiliar and cold, unlike Sam's. But, you took what you were given and cried on his shoulder. You shook your head, unsure why you were so upset. Why you felt like everything was falling apart. Your life, emotions, and relationships. Everything. Thoughts of returning back home to live with your dad entered your mind, and soon you felt more blind than ever before. You wanted to turn back time. You wanted to erase what you said to Sam.

You wanted to be with Sam.

Speak of the Devil. Sam was walking late at night back to his house, and he noticed you and Sebastian. When you made a moment of eye contact with Sam, you felt angry. All this pent up anger and sadness filled your heart and you looked at Sebastian, gripping his collar and smashing your lips against his.

Sebastian's eyes went wide, but once he saw Sam, he quickly closed them and tried to play along.

You had to make it better, make it intense. You quickly leaned down and pulled Sebastian over you on the bench, to which he mumbled something between the sloppy kisses. You mumbled back to keep playing along, occasionally looking over at Sam cautiously.

He was just standing there, watching.

You parted from Sebastian and allowed him to kiss your neck, and to draw that last bit of attention, you whined, "Sebastian!" aloud.

Sam walked over and threw Sebastian off of you.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He said to you, but you were glaring angrily at him.

"You- you tell me that you can't kiss me because of- of your ex and now you're making out with my best friend? What the fuck, dude?" He said, looking at Sebastian. "You fucking dick! You never told me!"

Sam barreled into Sebastian, the two rolling on the ground and Sam throwing punches. You sat up, eyes wide with fear.

"Sam- no!" You cried, grabbing his arm, but he swung and hit you in the face. You tumbled back and fell on your bottom, cradling your nose as it throbbed. You felt warmth surge through it and as you looked at your hand, you saw blood.

Sebastian pushed him off, having a bloody lip and multiple punches on his face.

"Holy shit, Y/N!" Sebastian said, running up to you. "Sam, what the hell did you do to her?"

Sam looked down at his own hand, then back up at you, who was crying.

You deserved this.

You deserved to be punched in the face more than once, you thought.

"Just let me explain-" Sebastian began, but Sam teared up and ran off. He ran, and ran. Into the darkness. Sebastian thought about going after him, but he quickly helped you up. He hurriedly helped you walk to the store, knocking on the door quickly. Caroline answered, and soon was giving you tissues in the bathroom. Abigail was awake and was aware of the whole situation, and she had her hand over her mouth.

Sebastian went home after talking quietly with Abigail, and she stood in the bathroom with you. You sighed and pulled the tissue away from your nose, looking at your blood-soaked hands. Damn, you were bleeding a lot.

"I don't even feel bad." Abigail whispered. You glanced up at her in surprise. "You really deserved that, Y/N. You're playing with Sam's heart and you fucking know it."

You were too stunned to speak.

"You use my boyfriend as a god damn decoy so you can 'get back at Sam for moving on to better things.' That's real pitiful." Abigail said, going off on you. She was red with anger. "I said I'd always be by your side, but I think we all know who's in the wrong here. You just took Sam's heart and ripped it to pieces in front of his own fucking face. What is wrong with you?" She laughed bitterly at the end. "Sebastian ended up getting hurt for helping you with your dumb ass scheme and look at you- you're a mess."

Your heart dropped. Why was Abigail this way? She said she'd always be there for you.

She was right, though. You were clearly not okay emotionally, something was wrong. You had to wake up. But, her words still cut like a knife.

"Get out of my house, and you better apologize to Sam in the morning and clear things up. I'd be surprised if he doesn't absolutely fucking despise you right now."

Thunder rumbled, and it was nearby. Was it going to rain again? You weren't that worried about it, you were more afraid of Abigail. It wasn't a matter of why she was acting so awful, it was a matter of why were you? Why did your emotions just envelop you in an act of self-hatred and pity? You didn't know. It began to rain, pouring down so roughly. But, you didn't care. You felt so alone, so threatened, you ran out of her house. You ran on that dirt path to your farm. You sprinted, slipping here and there in the mud, and you sobbed.

The only thing you wanted was to go back. Take back your words and your actions. You wanted to deepen that kiss with Sam and tell him that he was your world- he truly was.

You now realized what you were so blind to; your love.

You slammed the door open and closed it quickly, avoiding hurting Bentley in the process, then throwing yourself onto your bed dramatically. How could you ever undo those words? Those unforgettable actions?

You woke up late in the morning. It was almost noon, and you heard knocking at your door. You lazily got up, feeling like a mess. You slowly answered the door, your chest empty and your mind feeling fuzzy, like the color bars on an old TV. You opened the door to a concerned Jodi, who was crying.

"Sam is gone! He- he took the car and I think he ran away!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aww this gets so emo but it'll all be resolved REAL quick!


	12. Kiss Me in the Rain

He went missing for days. People had searched all across the valley, but nobody quite found him yet. You suggested the city, but Abigail wanted to come along with you. The drive to the city wasn't quite the greatest thing, but you could feel her hatred looming over you. You had Marnie take care of Bentley while you were gone, since you deemed this job not safe for a dog.

You and Abigail got a hotel room and you went around the first day putting up missing person posters. You got a lot of responses the first day from people saying that they had seen them, so that was good. But, when you told Abigail, she simply ignored you.

You considered ending it all. By this point, it would only be your dad who truly missed you. But, it seemed like the childish way out of things. If you wanted to leave, you could always leave. So, you figured, after Sam was found, you'd leave the valley and pursue your boring career in your boring city and become a boring wife whose husband abuses her day to night.

It sounded ideal right about now.

It was on the first night that you and Abigail were going to sleep that she finally spoke to you.

"I'm sorry." Is what she said from her comfortable bed. You look over, unable to see anything in the incredible darkness.

"Why are you sorry? You did nothing wrong." You whispered, pulling your blanket up to your chin. "You're not the shitty friend who broke their friend's heart."

"I don't know what you must be going through." Abigail finished. "You're not okay, and I get that. I shouldn't have gotten angry at you."

You swallowed, your mouth dry. Her apology wasn't enough to make you stay in the valley. You wanted to so desperately leave, and her apology sounded more like a plead. Like she didn't want you to do something to yourself.

Like off yourself.

"You had every right. Don't start blaming this on yourself, Abby." You grumbled, rolling over and having your back face her. "And if you're worried, I'm too numb to do anything correctly. My mind is just blank..."

Silence pursued. "I can't feel a thing."

"Y/N..."

"I'm glad you're trying to make me feel better, but you were nothing but right to yell at me."

And it pursued yet again. No response. You began to think she just fell asleep, so you closed your eyes and hoped for a new morning. But, you couldn't sleep. You knew your eyes were closed, but you watched as it grew lighter and lighter in the room over the hours. You got up at 6 AM and left behind a note for Abigail before leaving. It was sprinkling outside, the clouds layered on thick. You sighed and continued looking around, looking at a picture of Sam. How were you so blind to how you felt? You rubbed your face, your eyes burning, and you decided to get some coffee.

Walking into a diner, you chose the blackest coffee you could get. You disliked black coffee, but you just wanted to wake up. You took a sip and recoiled at the bitter taste, but forced yourself to continue drinking it. Passersby stared at you and you stared straight back, dark rings around your eyes like a raccoon.

Yeah, it wasn't hot.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Someone asked. You nodded and waved your hand.

"I'm fine."

They slowly left you by your lonesome, and you had time to think things through. You knew Sam would never forgive you, so you figured you wouldn't ask him to.

After finishing and paying for your coffee, you left the shop and then went around town again looking for him.

No luck.

You returned to the apartment and saw Abigail was awake. You greeted her with a grim expression and she sighed, running her hands through her hair.

"I've texted him thousands of times. Have you tried?"

"I think he's blocked my number. None of my messages are sending to him." You explained, sitting down beside her.

"If only he knew how many people he was hurting."

You fell silent afterwards.

Eventually, the day turned into night. You were beginning to give up on looking for Sam, so you went out on a walk in the city. It was the same as always. Polluted skies, where you couldn't see a speck in the sky. You hated it.

It began to rain again, harder than earlier. You sighed and pulled out your umbrella, prepared this time. You felt like you were walking on clouds in a dream, your tiredness tugging at your eyes for sleep. But, you knew you wouldn't be able to sleep. So, you kept walking, pushing past other people's umbrellas. You plugged in your headphones that were, drowning the world out. Looking at the blurry faces passing by, everybody having a reason to be on the street. Some people might be going to the bar, some people might be rushing to the store for bandages, some people might be trying to run to the hospital.

Some people might be going to their date. Some people might be walking with their significant other. Some people might be going home.

You weren't some people.

You just wanted a break. From everything. You walked into the park subconsciously, looking around at the abandoned slides and swings. Wait, was someone on a swing?

You squinted through the pouring rain and saw a familiar blond sitting on the swing, looking down at the ground as he kicked his legs. You lowered your umbrella, staring at him in shock. Why was he at the park, especially around midnight? You slowly approached him, your boots dragging in the mud. He glanced up at you and he nearly fell off the swing, but he just quickly got up.

"Sam, why are you here?"

"Y-Y/N! Were you looking for me?"

"Yes, I was. Look-"

"Leave me alone, I didn't come here just to go back home."

"Sam, just listen to what I have to say!" You grabbed his wrist, dropping your umbrella and holding onto him with both hands. "You don't have to even take my words into consideration, just let me speak."

"Fine." He finally said, looking down at you with dark eyes. You sighed and sat up, releasing his hand slowly.

"I wanted to explain myself. I know what I did was wrong, but you're misunderstanding. I saw you with Penny a couple of days ago and I just got so- so jealous. So I told Sebastian and he agreed to help me make you jealous in return. I didn't intend for it to go that far."

"You got jealous?" Sam scoffed. "After you turned me down? One second I can't have you, and the next I can?"

"I'm still talking. My ex, he used me. A lot. He never physically hurt me, but he did mentally abuse me. He called me names, used me for sex, and then he cheated on me with tons of other girls. It was my first relationship, and I thought it would be my last." You felt your throat tighten, tears rolling down your cheeks. "And then I met you. So sweet, kind, and you never stopped caring no matter what I did."

Sam watched you, his eyebrows slowly furrowing in concern.

"I never knew what love felt like, and I was so used to being hurt. I didn't know what I was doing, and after losing my mother- I just felt like I was lost in my own little world. I shut myself in and I stopped allowing people to come in and hurt me. After what happened, I realized finally."

You looked up at him, your wide eyes blurred with tears. "That I'm in love with you."

Sam blinked, continuing to stare down at you in silence, and you hoped he was just shocked and not upset. "But, I've decided that once you return home, I'll leave for good. Nobody cares about me anymore. Abigail hates me for what I did to you, and Sebastian's pretty upset too. I'll live with my dad after you go home."

"What makes you think nobody cares?" Sam softly said, brushing your hair behind your ear. "Vincent and Jas care. Penny cares, and my mom does too. Abby and Seb are just upset at you for the time, that doesn't mean they will forever."

"I've ruined enough lives. I can't take back the words that I said and the actions that I did, but I think with my absence, everything at Stardew Valley can go back to normal. Jodi's been so scared, and Vincent- I've never seen a child so depressed." You cried, wiping your eyes. "And I'm not asking you to forgive me. It's way too late to do that now. Just move on, forget about me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry. Please go home."

Sam sighed and took you in his arms, hugging you close. You heard his calm heart beat, and the trickle of the cold rain froze your spine. You shuddered against his chest, but accepted the hug and kept crying. Why were you being so god damn emotional? Sam ran his fingers through your hair and rested his head on top of yours, holding you and never attempting to pull away.

"You're not leaving. Just give everybody one more chance. I'm sure if you take your time to calm down, you'll be better." Sam gently said, and you nodded frantically.

You finally looked up, looking in his green eyes. He broke the eye contact, appearing uncomfortable. "I don't know how I feel." He added, resting his hand on your cheek. "But, I do know that I forgive you."

He pulled you into a slow kiss. It was timid and new, and it sparked a feeling in your chest that made your heart race. You didn't pull away this time, instead, you deepened the kiss by wrapping your arms around him. Was this what love felt like? Was this how things would be from now on? You were tired of running around in circles, you just wanted to be with Sam. Your love for him was too bright, it made your head dizzy. When he pulled away, he rubbed your cheek with his thumb. He smiled at you and you smiled back.

You wished he could hold you the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOORAY! all is well!  
> leave your thoughts and comments down below, I'd love to hear them!


	13. Stardew Valley Fair

You returned home to Pelican Town with Abigail and Sam, getting lots of comments and remarks of appreciation. Vincent ended up hugging you and thanking you before running up to his brother and crying loudly to him. It was a relief that everybody was happy, but you still felt empty and missing. You thanked Marnie for taking care of Bentley and took his leash, walking back to your farm. You felt someone stop you, and as you turned, you saw Abigail.

"You never told me what happened."

You sighed and told her everything that happened. Halfway through, she had a growing smile that ended up to be the biggest you've ever seen. She squealed and hugged you, back to her old self.

"I'm so happy for you! Are you and Sam dating now?"

"I don't think he wants to get with me anytime soon." You said glumly, looking away from her.

"Oh, bullshit. He's probably screaming inside his head right now. Don't worry, I'll hook you two up quicker than you can say 'Pelican Town!'"

"Abby, how can you be so happy after everything that happened?" You asked with a frown. She blinked and looked at you with raised eyebrows.

"Because, you stepped up and apologized. I just wanted things to go back to normal, and look how things are right now. I'm really proud of you, Y/N." She smiled and hugged you, quickly letting go. "But, I have a date with Sebastian planned for tonight, so I'll see you later!"

"Bye..." You waved as she ran off in the opposite direction. You smiled a little, hearing her words 'I'm really proud of you' echo in your mind. It felt so comforting hearing it, you couldn't help but smile. When you got back to your farm, you made sure to water your crops and you went down to Robyn's, agreeing with her to build a coop on your farm. You paid her in advance and went on your merry way back home.

Why not settle down? You couldn't wait to get little chickens running around the farm, that'd make it the best thing ever. You grinned and felt so much happier than you've been feeling the past couple of days.  
Meanwhile, Abigail visited Sam's house, knocking and entering. Sam looked at her, strumming his guitar. He set it down and smiled weakly.

"Hey, Abby, what's up?"

"I heard you and Y/N kissed."

"Oh, God, she told you?" Sam groaned, rubbing his face.

"Yeah, but that's not the problem. What's with you? You have the girl, you both like each other, aren't you going to go date her?"

"I don't know, Abby. She's amazing and all, but I'm afraid she'll pull something on me or do something."

"Then give her some time to adjust. Just go back to being regular friends, and then you guys can kiss and stuff." Abigail suggested, sitting down next to him. "But if you want a lasting relationship, you have to be sure and tell her that. She's been through some shit, she's just really afraid that you'll leave her or something."

"I'd never!" Sam jolted up in his seat. "She's crazy pretty, like her body and her eyes... I love her hair and she smells so sweet like flowers. Then, there's her laugh. And her personality is so cute, she's so delicate..."  
Abigail just smiled knowingly and he blushed wildly. "Shut up!" He yelled, looking away defiantly.

"How about you guys go to the fair together?" She suggested. "It'll be fun, and she can have a chance at the spotlight in the Grange Display contest! Go together as a couple, since me and Sebby are going together."

Sam nodded thoughtfully, then smiled. "Alright!"

And so, for the rest of the remaining days, Abigail's birthday came and went. Of course, you spent the entire day with her and managed to prank her crazily. Everything was returning to normal, and it seemed fine. It was better than fine. It was amazing. You and Sam were talking daily, walking together or just over the phone. Your first Fall crops were harvested and kept coming, and you were so joyful about it. Bentley was growing so big, and you managed to get two little chicks named Peach and Sunny before it was the Stardew Valley Fair.

Of course, Sam invited you to go, so you wore a nice sundress that you bought not too long ago from Emily herself. It was a sky blue with tiny white polka-dots and a tied top. Sam stared at your dress and then smiled up at you.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured and you laughed, hitting his arm lightly.

"Gosh, don't be a flirt! It just embarrasses me!" You covered your face with your hand, feeling your cheeks flush a light pink. The two of you walk into the town square and you heard music coming from some players not too far off. You walked around, holding your items in a bag. You first set up your things in the display to compete against the others, but you saw how good Pierre's display was and you began to feel not as confident. Still, Sam took your hand and he dragged you to some of the games.

It was the most fun you've had in weeks. As you shot rocks out of a slingshot to hit the moving targets, you realized how much you wanted this moment to last forever. Then, you slammed a hammer down on a stone to test your strength, and you were pretty good with it. Sam seemed impressed. Then, Sam managed to win a stuffed bunny. He handed it to you and you cradled it, hugging it tightly. After the games were all done, Lewis announced the winner of the Grange Display, which was Pierre. Too bad, but better luck next time! You took your items back out of the display and you spent some time with Abigail and Sebastian, who seemed much better after the incident.

"So, we've been hired to play in Zuzu City!" Sam said to you. You squeaked in excitement.

"Really? That sounds too awesome!"

"Isn't it? I play the drums." Abigail boasted, grabbing your hands. You laughed and gripped hers.

"I play the keyboard." Sebastian quietly said, his hand wrapped around Abigail and resting on her shoulder.

"And of course, the most amazing plays the guitar!" Sam pretended to brush his hair off his shoulder and the four of you all laughed in unison. "Anyway, I want you to come see it! There's only a couple of people coming along, but I'm sure it'll be fun! Maybe we could get a big record deal!" Sam added, now grabbing your hand. You smiled and nodded, looking down at your hand in his, gently rubbing your thumb across his hand. He blushed noticeably and Abigail made fun of him for it.

"Aww, Sam, your face is getting all red!"

"Shut up, Abby!" He looked away and you snickered with her. Before the day was over, you and Abigail decided to go get your fortunes from the lady in the clairvoyant booth.

You both paid her before listening in to what she had to say.

"Ah, yes." She murmured, looking at her crystal ball, first speaking to Abigail. "I can see a certain future with hardly any issues. All the hard times have passed for you. Keep those closest to you and be sure to never let go."

Next was your turn. You leaned forward, eyes wide and sparkling.

"I see you've gone through some difficult times lately. Losing people in your life is probably the worst, but I can see only a bright future from here. If you are in love, you are about to get very lucky."

You blushed and Abigail laughed behind you, clutching her stomach.

"Your face!" She howled.

"A-Abby, I'm sure that's not what she meant, you sick-o." You rolled your eyes, but the fortune teller just smiled knowingly.

As the two of you walked away and joined the boys again, you couldn't stop thinking about what the fortune teller said, and it just flustered you even more. But, to make things even worse, Abigail brought it up again.

"Sam, the fortune teller said that you and Y/N would get luckyyy!" She laughed again, and Sam's eyes went wide.

"God, Abby, you just love to torture me, don't you?" You groaned, but smiled.

"You have the mind of a twelve-year-old." Sebastian softly said to Abigail, who smiled and nodded in agreement. 

When the fair ended, people slowly returned home. It was getting colder, but Sam insisted that he'd walk you home. It was quiet and he lent you his jacket to wear, which you gratefully wore around your shoulders. When you guys got to the farm, you saw Peach and Sunny running around peeping at each other.

"Oh, no! I forgot to close their coop when they finished eating!" You yelped, dropping Sam's jacket and running to catch them. Sam watched you for a second and shrugged, joining you in the wild goose chase. Or, more like, wild chick chase. You managed to grab up Sunny, who was a bright yellow chick. Sam was left behind to run after Peaches, a tan chick who kept peeping at him, almost mockingly.

You snorted and laughed, watching him chase a tiny little chick.

"I don't think Peach likes you!" You yelled after him, watching him run across the farm.

"You don't?" Sam said, panting and taking a break. The split second he stops running, Peach runs into the coop. Sam stared, jaw ajar and eyes wide. "That little sh-"

"I'm sure it'll take awhile for them to warm up to you." You cut him off, placing Sunny in the coop before closing it tightly. You walked over and picked his jacket up off the ground, shaking the dirt off before walking up to him and handing it to him. Your fingers brushed against his as he took it from you, draping it over his arm.

"Today was really fun, thank you." You said, making strict eye contact with him. He smiled and rubbed his neck.

"Oh, it was nothing! I'm glad I got to spend the day with you, though."

You shifted your weight onto your other foot, your heart racing again. Sam stared down at you and gently lifted your chin with his fingers, pressing his lips to yours. It felt so natural to kiss him, so you pulled him closer immediately and melted into his kiss. His hand ran down your side and rested on your hip and slowly inched you closer to his warm body.

Your heart nearly jumped out of your chest when he bit your lip, and you pulled away quickly.

"D-Did I do something wrong?"

"No! I just, I got a little nervous."

Sam looked down at you and nuzzled you, kissing your forehead. "You're too freakin' cute. Come on, let's get you inside."

You invited him in and Bentley almost attacked him, but you held onto Bentley long enough for him to realize it was Sam. You sighed and stretched, going to your room. Sam slowly followed, looking at you as you collapsed on your bed.

"I just wanna take a nap." You rolled over, and then you felt something snake around your waist. You jerked to look behind yourself, seeing Sam laying down next to you with his arms around you. You blushed and smiled, laying back down. "You little lovebird."

"Hey, don't single me out here. You're in love, remember?"

"Right." You whispered, feeling his lips against your neck. He gently kissed and squeezed you tight. Then, out of nowhere, he began to tickle you. You squealed and laughed, trying to kick him off.

He didn't sleep over, but he did stay there until you fell asleep. Then, he tucked you in and left, smiling to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaa I love fluff but it's about to go from 0 to 100 reallllyyy quick. like, next chapter kind of quick.


	14. His First Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS SEXUAL CONTENT IN IT. IT'S ALL CONSENSUAL, BUT READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!**

It was three days before Sam's big gig, and he delivered some grim news to you early in the morning.

"I'm going to have to leave tomorrow, so we can score a hotel room and get our band equipment there. It takes awhile to set up, so yeah..." He mumbled, and you felt worried. You knew you'd miss Sam, but he had to pack up for tomorrow, so you wouldn't be able to spend the day with him, Abigail, or Sebastian. You were determined to find a way, though.

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I wish we could spend more time together. But, the day after my gig, I'll come home!"

"But I'm gonna miss you!" You whined, slumping your shoulders.

"I know, but we can go on a date if you'd like! We could go and stargaze or maybe just hang out and watch a movie..." He brushed your hair behind your ear, kissing your cheek.

"Really?" You grinned.

"Yeah, really. You know what? I have an idea!"

"What is it?"

"Meet me outside my window at 11 PM."

"Okay..." You said, unsure what he wanted at that time. But, he waved and hurried off on back to his house. You smiled and watched him leave before doing your morning duties of feeding your animals and then leaving. You went to Abigail's house, just walking in and getting a 'good morning!' from Pierre. Abigail was rushing around her room to pick up items and put them in a suitcase.

"Hey, Abby." You gently spoke from her doorway and she said hey back without even looking at you. You sat on her bed.

"So, I heard that you guys were leaving tomorrow. I'm gonna be soo lonely without my friends!" You whined. Abigail laughed, folding clothes.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. But isn't it super exciting? I'm like, so buzzed about it!"

"I would be too." You agreed. You and Abigail talked for quite a bit, before she finally was able to sit down. You told her how Sam visited you this morning and you felt so giddy, like a teenager in high school talking about her crush. Then, you told Abigail how he invited you to his house so late in the night.

"Ooh, he probably wants to give you a gift or something! Spend his last fleeting moments with his girlfriend!"

"I-I'm not his girlfriend." You laughed, embarrassed and with red cheeks.

"Sure, go tell him that. He calls you that when you're not around."

"He does?" You yelped in shock. "Oh my God, I haven't been calling him my boyfriend! Should I? He hasn't asked me or anything. But we kiss all the time and he twirls me around and he just loves me to death!-"

"Calm down there!" Abigail laughed, putting her hand on your shoulder. "I'm sure he'll ask you soon, you just gotta be patient."

You smiled and nodded, comforted. Although you spent most of your day with Abigail, you still felt worried. You went home before dinner time and made yourself something, feeding your animals yet again and then looking at the time.

6 PM. Dammit, you still had five hours left. What would you do for five hours?

Sleep. You slept. When you woke up, it was 11 PM. You panicked and pulled on clothes and a scarf, running out of the door after tussling with your hair. It was around 11:06 when you sprinted to his house in complete darkness, panting and meeting up with him outside of his window. He glanced up at you in surprise, blinking and then smiling.

"I-I'm sorry I'm late, I fell asleep and I-I-"

"It's fine." He said, shuddering from the cold. "It's kind of chilly, why don't we go inside? Vincent and mom are sleeping over at Marnie's, so don't worry about being loud."

He led you inside through the front door and you took off your jacket and scarf, placing it to the side. It was dark, only lamps were on in the house. You locked the door behind yourself and glanced around, feeling more at home than you would at your little farmhouse. You watched Sam take off his jacket also, going into his room. You cautiously followed and glanced inside, seeing him sit down and sigh, leaning against his chair.

"Are you alright?" You asked quietly, hearing frogs outside, and even water, since the beach wasn't too far away.

"Just a little sleepy, that's all."

"What did you want to talk about?" You said, sitting on his bed.

"Well, I uh... just wanted to talk in general."

You laid back on his bed, smiling and pulling his blankets over yourself. He smiled back, amusedly.

"So, I just wanted to ask what you thought... of us." He asked, his face growing pink. You blinked and placed your hands above the blankets.

"You're my boyfriend." You grinned to him. "Right?"

"Right!" He quickly said. "I'm glad you think the same way that I do. Uhm, I've also been meaning to tell you something that's been on my mind lately."

"Yes?"

"I love you." He said, messing with his shirt. You blushed and stared at him, swallowing heavily.

You climbed out of his bed, standing and feeling your heart race as you weren't prepared for your next action. Sam thought he said something bad, thinking you were about to leave, but you just grabbed his face and crashed your lips into his messily.

He jerked back in surprise, but he pulled you on his lap quickly and he seemed to be drowning in your love. You pulled away and looked in his eyes, your forehead resting on his. His eyes were half-lidded and he ran his hand down your neck, leaning in and kissing it softly.

"Sam," you laughed softly, running your hands through his hair. "You've made me so happy." You whispered in his ear, and he looked up at you.

"I'm glad, Y/N."

He picked you up gently, your legs wrapping around his waist as he carefully carried you over to his bed. It wasn't big, but just enough for the both of you. He laid you on your back and he hovered over you, sprinkling you in kisses. You grew nervous, thinking you knew where this would lead to.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sam asked, tilting your head to face him again.

"I-I'm just a little nervous." You admitted.

"Oh, we don't have to be crazy." Sam laughed, his eyebrows furrowed. "Even if we do, I want you to know that you're safe with me. I'll be gentle with you."

You thought about it for a few moments, wondering if you'd regret it. Then you thought, why the hell not? You loved Sam. More than anything else in the world, and your love kept growing every second. You leaned up and he quickly sat back, giving you your space. You pulled your long-sleeved shirt off of yourself, tossing it on the chair the two of you were sitting in. You placed your arms down by your side and Sam's eyes traced your figure.

"I know, I'm not that pretty-" You began, but Sam cut you off.

"What? No way, you're gorgeous, Y/N. You're absolutely beautiful, don't ever say that again." He whispered, leaning you back down and kissing your chest and stomach, his lips skimming over your bra. You winced, closing your eyes tightly, feeling butterflies float around your stomach.

Sam kept asking if things were okay, like taking off his shirt, and kissing you next to your bra, to which you said they were alright, but you couldn't get rid of the excitement rising in your chest.

During a makeout session, though, he just totally took off your bra without asking. Not that you would've protested, but he just undid it and didn't look down. He was about to grope you when he jerked back in surprise.

"I-I'm sorry!"

"No, it's fine!" You raised your hands. "Really, it's... amazing."

Sam looked down and his eyes went wide. He glanced up, trying not to look, thinking it would be somehow disrespectful. You watched him curiously and held back from laughing, taking his hand gently. He gripped your hand and had no idea what you were about to do. You led it to your breast, allowing him to grope you. He looked back down and bit his lower lip.

"God, I don't think I can contain myself anymore."

"You haven't even seen everything."

"I don't need to." Sam whispered, leaning in and kissing you again. His fingers ran up and down your side, slightly tickling you. You giggled slightly and he grinned, playing with your jeans. You sat up and quickly slipped them off for him, and he just stared down at you, before he blinked back into reality and took off his own jeans.

"Y/N?" He asked, his hands fidgeting. "I've never... done this before."

"Ah, do you need help?" You asked, blinking to him.

"Uhg, yes." He said, covering his face. "I should be the one saying this to you! This is so embarrassing."

"Hey, don't be embarrassed!" You laugh, pulling his hands away from his face. He sat and watched as you awkwardly slipped your underwear off of your legs. You wanted to instinctively close your legs and cover yourself, but you forced yourself to spread them. Suddenly, you felt sick. Like you weren't good enough. Your throat tightened as Sam's face only reached a dark shade of red.

"Pretty." He mumbled. You looked at him in surprise and he smile, shrugging. "You're so pretty. You don't need to worry, honey."

The split second he called you honey, you nearly melted right there. Your heart sped up and his hands excitedly traced your skin, causing you to hold onto the sheets. He carefully ran his hand up your calf, then your thigh, and you could guess where to next. But, he wanted you to be comfortable, so he just kissed you instead of any foreplay.

It was so sweet and romantic. He wasn't rough or forceful, and instead asked you how you felt a lot of the time. When he finally exposed all of himself, he was surprisingly a lot harder than you would've guessed. You even guessed that he was much more... sizable... than your ex. He was so awkward, not very educated on the topic.

"Do I just... go ahead and...?"

"I need to be, uh, wetter." You mumbled, feeling really awkward. But, Sam's innocence made him so much cuter. He nodded, kissing you and giving you the foreplay you needed, and then Sam couldn't handle it anymore- as he entered and thrust, you only felt bliss. It wasn't painful at all, and Sam was frowning and blushing like crazy.

"A-Are you okay?" You stammered, looking up at him. He opened his eyes and looked at you, gulping and nodding.

"You're just really tight." He grumbled, allowing you to adjust to his size. Then, he began to continue. You whined and gripped the pillow your head was resting on, turning your head to the side. He leaned in, kissing your neck softly and giving you a short break before thrusting deeply again.

You just realized you guys didn't have protection.

Shit, shit... oh, well.

It was too good. Your mind was growing blank from the pleasure, and the mixture of your's and Sam's moans was getting to be too much. The glistening sweat on his body was illuminated by the dim lamp next to his bed, and he just looked so incredibly hot when he was really in the mood. His green eyes looked down at you and made eye contact with you, and you leaned up, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing him again and again. Things were getting progressively sloppier and your moans grew louder.

"S-Sam!" You cried, arching your back. "I'm- coming!"

Sam grunted, "Me too."

"Pull out, pull out!" You said, panicked. But, you threw yourself back as you came. He quickly pulled himself out and released on your stomach. He nearly fell over, but he carefully laid down beside you, panting.  
When you opened your eyes, you looked over at him and saw him playing with your hair with a tired smile. You smiled back, taking his hand.

"Now, how was that?" You whispered.

"Perfect." He replied, kissing your nose.

"I'm gonna go wash off now. Wanna join me?" You said, sitting up and wiping off his cum with tissues and tossing it in the trash. Sam shrugged and agreed, getting up with you and following you into the bathroom.

Needless to say, you stayed the night.


End file.
